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Idioms
What are idioms?
An idiom (also called idiomatic expression) is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative
meaning conventionally understood by native speakers. This meaning is different from the literal
meaning of the idiom's individual elements. In other words, idioms don't mean exactly what the words say.
They have, however, hidden meaning.
Examples /alphabetical order/
A
a breath of fresh air
said about a new, fresh, and imaginative approach, a change that feels good.
The president says that the country needs a breath of fresh air.
Achilles' heel
the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one's otherwise strong character
I'm an A student in math and science, but English is my Achilles' heel.
a life-saver
This phrase is used to refer to something or someone that saves a person in a difficult situation or critical moment.
Thank you so much for your help. You're a real lifesaver!
a little bird told me
said when you don't want reveal the source of your information.
"How did you know the news?"
"Oh, a little bird told me."
a whole new ball game
a completely different situation.
He has written so many short stories but writing a novel is a whole new ball game.
add fuel to the fire
(also add fuel to the flames) to make a problem worse; to say or do something that makes a bad situation worse.
Don't add fuel to the fire by laughing at him. He is furious about what you have already done
against the clock
To work or race against the clock means to do something as fast as possible and try to finish it before a deadline.
The students were racing against the clock to finish the paper before the deadline.
all hat and no cattle
Describing someone who is full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
We expect our president to be effective in his job, not a person who is all hat and no cattle.
all that glitters is not gold
appearance is sometimes misleading. Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not be as good as they look.
The house looks beautiful from the outside but the inside part of the house looks terrible; all that glitters is not gold.
an arm and a leg
a lot of money.
These glasses cost me an arm and a leg.
armchair critic
An armchair critic is a person who knows or pretends to know a lot about something in theory rather than practice.
He is such an armchair critic; he has no experience in the subject but he is ready to give plenty of advice.
at sixes and sevens
This idiom is used to describe a state of confusion or disarray.
William Shakespeare uses a similar phrase in Richard II:
But time will not permit: all is uneven, And every thing is left at six and seven.
John is at sixes and sevens after the death of his wife.
at the drop of a hat
When someone does something at the drop of a hat, they do it without delay or good reason.
So many years of sacrifice and then you can leave me at the drop of a hat.
at your mother's knee
said about something that you learned when you were a child.
She learned to sing at her mother's knee.
B
backseat driver
1. A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.
2. Anybody offering unsolicited or unwelcome advice.
My brother is such a backseat driver. I hate traveling with him.
bad blood
unpleasant feeling between different people.
There is bad blood between Nancy and Leila. They are rarely in good terms with each other.
bark up the wrong tree
to direct your attention or efforts towards the wrong person or thing: to have the wrong idea about something.
Maria's uncle wanted to make her into a magician, but he was barking up the wrong tree. Her brother, Juan, was the one who loved tricks.
be a cold fish
be a person who is distant and unfeeling
He rarely talks to his colleagues. He's a cold fish.
be dead in the water
said when something has no chance of succeeding or of making any progress.
Our projects will be dead in the water if we don't have a good plan.
be full of beans
said about someone who is active, lively, healthy and has a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
He's always full of beans when he goes to work.
be in deep water
to be in serious trouble.
The government is in deep water because of its plans for tax increases.
be on cloud nine
feel extreme happiness or elation
She was on cloud nine when he proposed to marry her.
be on the ball
to be well-informed and respond promptly.
We need someone who's on the ball to help us implement our plan.
beat a dead horse
(Also flog a dead horse.) To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
If you continue talking about something that cannot be changed, you are beating a dead horse.
beat the clock
To do something before a deadline.
They managed to beat the clock and arrive a few minutes before the conference started.
beats me
(Aso it beats me) I don't know; I have no idea.
Mickeal: What's the longest river in the world?
Alan: Beats me!
big cheese
The phrase a big cheese refers to an important or influential person in a group or organization.
Other variations of the same idiom:
- big shot gun
- big wheel
- big enchilada
Apparently, he's a big cheese at NASA.
Don't act like a big shot among your old friends
big fish in a small pond
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
Another variation of this idiom is:
a big frog in a small pond
Dr. Jones could get a professorship at an Ivy League university, but he enjoys being a big fish in a small pond too much to ever leave Hanover College.
big head
the phrase a big head refers to a conceited or arrogant person.
Jane: She is such a bighead!
Lisa: why?
Jane: She's always talking about herself.
bite your lip
to make an effort not to react to something.
He didn't like the management of the business but he had to bite his lip.
blessing in disguise
something that at first seems bad but turns out to be good, a hidden benefit.
Summer school may be a blessing in disguise. Next year you'll be ahead of your class.
break your back
If you break your back to do something, you work very hard to do it.
I am not going to break my back to this job for such a low salary.
build bridges
to improve relationships between people.
They wanted to build bridges between Nancy and Alan to settle the conflict once for all.
burn the midnight oil
Work hard, especially late into the night.
She was burning the midnight oil preparing for her daughter's wedding when she had a heart attack.
by the numbers
If you do something by the numbers, you are doing it in a strict, mechanical way, without using your imagination or creativity.
His work is done by the numbers. There is nothing original about it!
by the skin of one's teeth
The phrase by the skin of one's teeth is an idiomatic expression that means just barely; by a narrow margin.
In this idiom, reference is made to an imaginary skin on one's teeth. So if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed in doing it by an amount equal to the thickness of that skin.
I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth.
C
call it a day
to stop working for the rest of the day.
Why don't we call it a day? I'm really tired.
call you on the carpet
to call a person before an authority for a scolding
My piano teacher called me on the carpet today. He could tell I hadn't practiced all week.
call your bluff
to demand that someone prove a claim; to challenge someone to carry out a threat
They're bragging they can beat us badly. C'mon. Let's call their bluff.
can't get blood from a stone
you cannot ask for or do the impossible
Don't ask her for a cookie. She never shares her food, and you can't get blood from a stone.
can't hold the candle to
to be second-rate in a certain skill, to be greatly inferior
Anita can't hold a candle to Jon when it comes to tap dancing.
Cat got your tongue?
Is there a reason that you're not speaking?
Why don't you answer me? Cat got your tongue?
catch someone red-handed
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Loraine's brother was caught red-handed at the scene of the crime.
catch you later
good-bye, I'll speak to you at another time
I've got to get right home to babysit my sister. I'll catch you later.
chew the fat
to have a friendly, informal talk; to chat in a relaxed way
My friend and I sat up half the night just chewing the fat.
chip on your shoulder
to be quarrelsome, aggresive, or rude; to be ready to fight
Avoid Calvin today. He has a real chip on his shoulder.
cold feet
a fear of doing something; a loss of nerve or confidence; second thoughts
Gerry wanted to ask Lynette to the party, but he got cold feet.
come out of your shell
to stop being so shy; to become more friendly
At first Mr. Greenblat was shy, but when he felt more comfortable at his new job, he came out of his shell.
cost an arm and a leg
very expensive; high-price, though possibly not worth the cost
It cost him an arm and a leg to go to Hawaii, but Mr. Wong really needed the vacation.
cross that bridge when you come to it
don't predict problems until they actually happen; don't worry about future events now; don't deal with a difficulty until you have to
How do you know they won't let you into the concert? Cross that bridge when you come to it.
cut the mustard
to be able to handle a job or fulfill the requirements
He was forty and many people thought he was too old to cut the mustard, but he hit over fifty home runs.
D
dark-horse candidate
a contestant about whom little is known and who wins unexpectedly
Everyone was surprised when Pedro won the election because he was a dark-horse candidate.
diamond in the rough
someone or something that doesn't look so good now, but that has great merit and the potential to be beautiful
"This old car is a diamond in the rough," said Ryan. "I'll tap out her dents, slap on a coat of paint, and she'll be a real beauty."
don't take any wooden nickels
don't let anyone cheat you or take advantage of you
"Have a good trip to Chicago, and don't take any wooden nickels."
dose of one's own medicine
the same or similar bad thing done back to the person who did it first
"After he soaked Josh with the hose, Timmy got a dose of his own medicine when fell into a puddle."
dot your i's and cross your t's
to take great care over details
"Mrs. Potter wants us to proofread out papers and dot all the i's and cross all the t's."
Dutch treat / go Dutch
each person pays for his or her own food and entertainment
"Lorrie and Al went Dutch treat to the movies."
dyed in the wool
complete, permanent, stubborn
"Mr. Freedman is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican and has never voted for a Democrat in his life."
E
eat humble pie
to be apologetic or suffer humiliation, to act humble or admit guilt
When he finds out how wrong he's been, he'll eat humble pie!
egg on your face
to be very embarrassed or humiliated for something foolish that you did or said
When Doug found out he had scored a touchdown for the other team, he had egg on his face.
elbow grease
hard, energetic manual labor
Put a little elbow grease into that job. Polish that car until it shines!
every cloud has a silver lining
there is something good in every bad situation
Pamela missed the school bus, but every cloud has a silver lining. She also missed the math test.
every Tom, Dick and Harry
every person possible, especially very ordinary people
I wanted this to be a small, private party, but Victoria invited every Tom, Dick and Harry.
F
face the music
to endure the consequences of one's actions; to take what you have coming to you
I was caught cheating and now I have to face the music.
fair-weather friend
a person who is a faithful friend only when everything is going well but who deserts you in times of difficulty
You can't count on Liz to help you when you're in trouble. She's just a fair-weather friend.
fat cat
a wealthy person; a rich benefactor
Maybe we can get some fat cats to contribute money for the new gym.
fiddle while Rome burns
do nothing or busy yourself with unimportant matters instead of taking action in an urgent situation
The governor fiddled while Rome burned, doing nothingabout crime, poverty and pollution.
fifth wheel
an unneeded, extra person
If he comes with us, he'll just be a fifth wheel.
fish out of water
a person who is out of his or her usual place; someone who doesn't fit in or is helpless in a situation
food for thought
an interesting idea worth thinking about carefully
The sign said, "If all else fails, read the instructions." That was food for thought.
for the birds
worthless, useless, stupid
That movie was for the birds. I'm sorry I wasted my money on it.
G
get a handle of something
to find a way to understand or deal with something; to start to overcome a difficult problem or situation
Rachel had a lot of trouble with geometry, but I think she's getting a handle on it.
get in on the ground floor
to be part of some big or important project or business at its start
Miss Cohen got in on the ground floor with a new woman's clothing company.
get something off your chest
to make known something that is bothersome; angering, or irritating, but kept secret for a time
Something is bothering me, and I want to get it off my chest. Please don't smoke here.
get the sack
to be fired
I had a great job at Heavenly Hamburgers, but the boss gave me the sack.
get your feet wet
to have a first experience in something; to begin to do something for the first time
Maisha had never been in a play, but she took a small part just to get her feet wet.
gild the lilly
to spoil something that is already beautiful by adding something extra or not needed
Ms. Kilmer really doesn't need all that makeup. That's like gilding the lilly.
go bananas
to be or go crazy
Come quick! Your brother has gone bananas.
Greek to me
too difficult to understand; unknown
The computer saleswoman explained how to install the DVD burner, but it was Greek to me.
H
handle with kid gloves
to treat gently and carefully
When you're speaking to Courtney, handle the subject of summer vacation with kid gloves.
handwriting on the wall
a sign that something bad is going to happen; a warning of danger or trouble
When the police questioned him, Phil saw handwriting on the wall and confessed.
have a bone to pick with you
to have an argument or unpleasant matter to settle with someone
My new boss said she had a bone to pick with me and called me into her office.
highway robbery
an extremely high price or charge for something
Five hundred dollars for one night in a hotel? That's a highway robbery.
hit the books
study school assignments carefully; prepare for classes by reading and doing homework
I've got a major test tomorrow, so I better hit the books.
hold your horses
slow down; wait a minute; be patient
Hold your horses. Why are you walking so fast?
hold the fort
to temporarily be responsible for watching over a place; to fight off trouble or keep watch
Our teacher was late; so the teacher next door held the fort in our room until he showed up.
I
if the shoe fits, wear it
if a remark applies to you; you should admit that it is true
Some students never clean up after art class. I'm not mentioning names, but if the shoe fits, wear it.
in a nutshell
in very few words; briefly; clearly and to the point
In a nutshell, tell me what the show was about.
in hot water
in serious trouble or in an embarrassing situation with someone of authority
Raul was in hot water with the coach when he missed three practices in a row.
in the bag
absolutely certain to be won, gotten, or achieved; sure; definite; certain of success
Our soccer team had the championship in the bag when the other team's best playe got sick.
in the doghouse
in disgrace or dislike; facing punishment
My mother forgot it was my father's birthday, so she's in the doghouse.
in the driver's seat
in control; in the position of authority
Now that Mr. Tecunseh is retired from the company, his son is in the driver's seat.
in the pink
in excellent health physically and emotionally
I was pleased to see that Lester is in the pink.
in takes two to tango
two people are required to accomplish this deed
It takes two to tango. Who was your accomplice?
J
Jack-of-all-trades
a person who can do many different kinds of work well
Our handyman is a jack-of-all-trades. He can fix anything.
jump down your throat
to talk or scream at someone in a sudden, angry way
All I sadi was, "Could you not give us homework tonight, Mr. Brill," and he jumped down my throat.
jump on the bandwagon
to become part of the newest activity because many other people are
Last year nobody liked my idea of a school carnival. Now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon.
jump the gun
to do or say something before you should; to act prematurely or hastily
I couldn't wait to give my mother her Mother's Day gift, so I jumped the gun and gave it to her a week early.
K
keep a stiff upper lip
to be brave and not show emotion in a time of trouble
Even when the boss yelled at Brenda for dropping the soup in the lady's lap, she kept a stiff upper lip.
keep something under your hat
to keep something secret
I'll tell you who won the election, but you've got to keep the results under your hat.
keep up with the Joneses
to try to keep up with what new neighbors have socially and financially, to work hard to have possessions as good as your neighbors
The man next door got a new car, so my cousin got one too. He has to keep up with the Joneses.
keep your ear to the ground
know what's going on; pay attention and be well informed
Dennis always keeps his ear to the ground and knows who's who and what's what.
keep your shirt on
to remain cool; to not become angry; to be patient
The referee saw the two players shouting at each other and told them to keep their shirts on.
kill two birds with one stone
to do two things by one action; to get two results with just one effort
At the library, Niko can kill two birds with one stone. He does his schoolwork and sees his friends.
know the ropes
to be well informed; to know your way around; to know how to het a complicated job done
She'sa great asset to this company beacuse she really knows the ropes around here.
L
lame duck
an elected official in the last days of his or her time on the job
After he was defeated in the election, the mayor was a lame duck for the remainder of his term.
lay an egg
to give an embarassing performance
Who told Olda she could sing? She really laid an egg at the talent show.
lay your cards on the table
to reveal all the facts openly and honestly; to reveal one's purpose and plans
The mayor laid the cards on the table about his secret campaign funds.
left out in the cold
to not tell someone something; to exclude someone from a place or activity
Christina told everyone else about the party, but she left me out in the cold.
lend an ear
to listen and pay attention to
I know you're very busy, but could you just lend me your ear for a minute?
let the sleeping dogs lie
to not make trouble if you don't have to; to not make someone angry by stirring up trouble
Don't remind the director that you missed two rehersals. Better to let the sleeping dogs lie.
let the cat out of the bag
to give away a secret
Carol's little brother let the cat out of the bag about her surprise party.
like two peas in a pod
identical; alike in looks and behavior
Antonio and his brother are like two peas in a pod.
loose cannon
a person who is unpredictable and sometimes out of control
He got fired because he was a loose cannon and cause everybody a lot of trouble.
M
make a federal case out of something
to exaggerate the seriousness of something small; to make a big deal out of something
I was looking at your test paper to see the date. Don't make a federal case out of it.
make ends meet
to earn just enough to live within one's income
On her salary, Jackie can hardly make ends meet.
make no bones about something
to speak directly, plainly, honestly, and without hesitation or doubt
The substitute teacher made no bones about not liking hats worn in class.
miss the boat
to lose an opportunity; to arrive too late and miss out on something
If you'r late to the interview, you'll miss the boat for the job.
monkey business
silliness or fooling around; dishonest or illegal activities; idiotic pranks
No more monkey busine
more than meets the eye
there are hidden facts that can't be seen or understood right away
Sherlock Holmes realized immediately that there was more to the murder than met the eye.
more than one way to skin a cat
there are several different ways of reaching the same goal
Scott tried every solution to the puzzle he could think of because he knew there was more than one way to skin a cat.
mum's the word
you must keep silent; don't tell anyone the secret
Don't tell anyone about the surprise for Mr. Edward. Remember, mum's the word.
N
needle in a haystack
something hard or impossible to find; anything hopeless (in a search)
Looking for your contact lens in this shaggy rug will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
nickel-and-dime
unimportant; small-time; trivial; petty
He said he worked for a big company, but it was really only a nickel-and-dime company.
nitty-gritty
the specific heart of the matter; the practical details; the fundamental core of something
When you write your report, stick to the nitty-gritty.
no spring chicken
not young anymore
Grandma can't run and play ball the way she used to. She's no spring chicken.
not your cup of tea
not what one likes or prefers; not suitable; not to your taste
Please show me another hat. This one's not my cup of tea.
nothing to sneeze at
not small or unimportant; something to be taken seriously
He won the silver medal, not the gold, but that's still nothing to sneeze at.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
if you don't try to do something, you'll never accomplish it
C'mon, try making that dive. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Nutty as a fruitcake
crazy or extremely strange in beahviour or dress
I was convinced that Bill's uncle was as nutty as a fruitcake.
O
off the top of your head
stating something quickly and without thinking hard about it
Right off the top of his head he listed all the state capitals in alphabetical order.
off-the-wall
shocking; very unusual
That new talk-show host is definitely off-the-wall.
old hat
out-of-date; not new; too familiar; uninteresting
Let's try a new place for our next vacation. Dooley's Dude Ranch is so old hat.
Old wives' tale
a superstition; a belief or practice not based on fact
Wearing garlic around your neck won't scare off evil. That's just an old wives' tale.
on a shoestring
on a strict budget; with or using very little money
They tried to start a school band on a shoestring.
on cloud nine
blissfully happy; joyous
Lizette is on cloud nine since being named Junior Scientist of the Year.
on pins and needles
waiting anxiously for something; extremely nervous
I was on pins and needles until I got the phone call that the plane had landed safely.
on the ball
alert; effective; skillful; knowledgeable
Mr. Hsu hired me because he thinks I'm really on the ball.
on the fence
neutral; undecided; not choosing one way or the other
Are you for or against the new honor code, or are you still on the fence?
on the hot seat
in a difficult or uncomfortable position and subject to a lot of unpleasant questions and personal attacks
Fran was caught eating a candy bar at the weight loss class - now she's really on the hod seat.
once in a blue moon
almost never; very seldom; hardly ever
The teacher is tough, but once in a blue mon she doesn't give us homework.
out in the field
unusual; crazy; totally wrong
Mary's suggestion, a "dress as your favourite vegetable" party, was very out in the field.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
from a bad situation into one that is worse
First, you were late. Now, you spilled glue all over the teacher's desk. You've jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
over the hill
past one's prime; unable to function as one used to; too old
A ninety-two-year-old man finished the marathon and proved he wasn't over the hill yet.
P
pass the buck
to pass on or make another person accept responsibility or blame for something one does not want to accept for his or her own
You've got to make the decision yourself. You can't pass the buck on this one.
pass the hat
to ask for contributions; to beg
I need money for the amusement park. I may just have to pass the hat.
penny for your thoughts
What are you thinking? Tell me what is on your mind.
You seem so serious. A peeny for your thoughts.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
you should not criticize others if you are just as bad as they are
He complained about her spelling mistakes, but he's already made two mistakes. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
pie in the sky
something not possible; an unrealistic hope
Consuela thinks that is she goes to Washington, she'll meet the president and tell him her ideas. Wha a pie-in-the-sky idea!
play cat and mouse
to tease or fool someone
She plays cat and mouse with her little brother, pretending to hand him a lollipop, then taking it away when he reaches for it.
play fast and loose
to do whatever pleases you without caring about what will happen to others; to be unpredictable and careless; to act irresponsibly
You told Linda you'd help her, but then you didn't show up. You shouldn't play fast and loose with your friends.
play with fire
to take an unnecessary and dangerous risk; to court danger
Threatening the bully in the neighborhood is really playing the fire.
point of no return
the position or time after which it is impossible to go back, change your mind, or do something
We can't cancel the show now. We've reserved the theater and sold tickets. We've reached the point of no return.
power behind the throne
the actual, but unrecognizable, person in charge
The president's wife had so much influence on him that people knew she was the real power behind the throne.
pull out all the stops
to do everything possible tu succeed; to do something as enthusiastically as you can
Tonight I'm pulling out all the stops: candlelight dinner, violin music, champagne, the works! Then I'll ask her to marry me.
pull strings
to exert behind-the-scenes influence; to secretly control others from a distance as if they were puppets
The movie is sold out, but since your uncle runs the theater, maybe you could pull strings and get us tickets.
put your foot down
to be firm or rigid about something
Max's mother put her foot down and demanded he be home by 10 P.M.
put your foot in your mouth
get into trouble for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person, often without realizing it
You really put your foot in the mouth when you told Jenny you didn't like Fernando's performance without knowing that he's her boyfriend.
put your money where your mouth is
to be willing to bet or invest your money in something you support or believe in
If you are so certain that you'll win the violin contest, why don't you put your money where your mouth is.
Q
Q.T. (also QT and q.t.)
quietly; secretly; without anyone knowing
She doesn't know about the surprise party, so keep it on the Q.T.
quick on the draw
ready, alert. and quickto respond and react; mentally fast; quick to grasp informtion; touchy, sensitive
In math, she's always quick on the draw.
quiet as a mouse
silent or still; making very little noise ; saying nothing; hushed; subdued
Quiet as a mouse, she slipped back into her dormitory after hours.
R
rain check
a ticket stub alowing attendance at a future event in place of one that was canceled; a piece of paper from a store for buying a sold-out item at the sale price a of a later date
The store had run out of the guitars that were on sale, so they gave us a rain check.
raining cats and dogs
to rain very heavily; to pour
It's raining cats and dogs, and our picnic is ruined.
raise an eyebrow
to surprise or shock people by doing or saying something outrageous; to cause someone to show disapproval in his or her facial expression
It raised quite a few eyebrows when Sarah showd up with her hair dyed purple and green.
read between the lines
to discern the true, hidden meaning of fact in any document or action
When Mr. Allen said he'd find a good part for me, I knew he meant I didn't get the leading role. I can read between the lines.
Real McCoy
the genuine article; something of good quality, compared to others; not a fake or copy
That is a fake antique. This one's the real McCoy.
red-carpet treatment
great respect and hospitality given to someone important; special treatment
When the president arrived, he was given the red-carpet treatment.
red-letter day
a day remembered as especially happy and significant
My father said that the day I was born was a red-letter day.
ring a bell
to sound familiar; to call something to mind; to stir a vague memory
I don't remember her facem but her name rings a bell.
rock the boat
to make trouble and disrupt a stable situation; to risk spoiling a plan; to creat disturbance
Jacob and Sherman got along just fine until Sherman rocked the boat by lighting up a cigar.
Rolling stoen gathers no moss
a person who is always on the move or who changes jobs often will not be able to save or keep much
He's moved three times in three years, so he doesn't have any furniture or close friends. A rolling stone gathers no moss.
run elbows with someone
to be in the same place with others; to associte with people
On her last vacation Rita went to Hollywood, where she says he rubbed elbows with a lot of stars.
rub the wrong way
to annoy and irritate someone; to handle someone insensitively
It certainly rubbed Mary Jane the wrong way when Jason asked her if she got her hair cut in a pet shop.
run circles around someone
to easily do something far better than someone else
Isac thinks he's a good math student, but Margareth could run circles around him.
run off at the mouth
to talk too much; to talk nonstop
Mr. Rosario was running off at the mouth again about the kids playing basketball in her backyard.
S
same old song and dance
dull nonsense that's been said many times before; a lie or excuse that's been told before
Arlene gave the teacher the same old song and dance about her gerbil eating her homework, but the teacher had heard that excuse before.
save for a rainy day
to save for a time of need; to put something away for the future
Ads from the bank keep advising people to save some money for a rainy day.
saved by the bell
rescude at the last possible moment from an embarassing or dangerous situation
My sister was just about to show everyone an embarassing picture of my when I was saved by the bell. The lights went out.
say (cry) uncle
to give up; to surrender; to concede defeat
The schoolyard bully twisted Nick's arm until he said uncle.
school of hard knocks
challenging expereinces that can teach you a lot
Mrs. Gylanders never went to college, but she learned how to be successful in the school of hard knocks.
scratch the surface
to just begin to deal with a problem; to deal with only a very small part of a subject
Doctors have only scratched the surface in finding the cure for this disease.
see eye to eye
to agree fully; to have the same opinion
My parents and I don't always see eye to eye about my allowance.
settle an old score
to get back at; to get revenge for past wrongs
It took her two year, but Shirley finally settled an old score with Roger.
shake a leg
to hurry up; to go faster; to speed up
Shake a leg or you're going to miss the bus.
shape up or ship out
to correct your behaviour, improve your performance; do your job satisfactorily, or get out
After the new waiter had dropped his third tray of food, the owner told him that he'd better shape up or ship out.
shot in the arm
something that lifts your spirit, energy, and confidence
Mr. Reynolds was feeling pretty low in the hospital, but your card really gave him a shot in the arm.
show your true colors
to reveal what you are really like
We thought Carl was a great guy until he showed his true colors by kicking his dog.
sitting pretty
to be in a lucky, superior or advantageous position
Margo finished her book report and now she's sitting pretty.
skate on thin ice
to take a big chance; to risk danger; to start out on a hazardous course of action
You'll be skating on thin ice if you wake mu up tonight.
skeleton in your closet
a shameful and shocking secret that people try to keep hidden
Janet was close to being elected until her opponent exposed the skeleton in her closet.
sleep on it
to put off making a decision until at least the next day so that you can think about it overnight
The boss said he'd tell me tomorrow if I got the job or not. He had to sleep on it.
smell like a rose
to look good in a bad sitution; to avoid a damaged reputation when involved with corruption; to appear pure and innocent
Even though Sam causes all the troublem, he comes up smelling like a rose.
snake in the grass
an unfaithful, untrustworthy, underhanded, and deceitful person; a traitor
What a snake in the grass he was! He was only pretending to be my friend.
spill the beans
to give away a secret to someone who is not supposed to know it
Don't spill the beans, but Hadele is getting the art award.
split hairs
to argue about small, unimportant differences
Aaron and his sister are always splitting hairs. He said there were forty-seven explosions in the movie, she said forty-six.
stick to your guns
to stand firm and hold to one's position in the face of opposition; to stand up for your rights no matter what trouble you get into
You may be the only kid who thinks we need a longer school day, but I admire the way you stick to your guns.
straight from the horse's mouth
directly from the person or place that is the most reliable source of the best authority
I got it straight from the horse's mouth that there's going to be a pop quiz.
straw that broke the camel's back
one final problem or misfortune that, added to previous troubles, proves more than a person can bear
That last mistake was the straw that broke the camel's back.
sweep under the rug
to hide or ignore unpleasant matters
Her parents found out about her failing grades, even though she tried to sweep them under the rug.
Task 1: Can you guess the meaning of the following idioms?
1. Tough Row To Hoe
2. A Hard Nut To Crack
Meaning ?
3. Tall Order
Meaning ?
4. Slippery Slope
Meaning ?
5. It’s A Long Shot
Meaning ?
6. Tough Break
Meaning ?
7. Uphill Battle
Meaning ?
8. Close Call
Meaning ?
9. Tough Call
Meaning ?
10. Hard Sell
Meaning ?