Idiom sport of origin | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
across the board cards | equal for everyone | Ten percent raises were given across the board. | |
at this stage in the game any sport | at this time | Nobody knows who is going to win the election at this stage in the game. | |
the ball is in your court tennis | it's your decision or responsibility to do something now | "Do you think I should accept the job offer?" "Don't ask me. The ball is in your court now". | |
bark up the wrong tree hunting | you've got the wrong person or idea | I think you're barking up the wrong tree by blaming Matt for the missing money. | |
blind-sided any sport | to not see something coming | George blind-sided Eric with his fist at the bar. | |
blow the competition away any sport | win easily | If you wear that dress to the beauty pageant you are going to blow the competition away. | |
call the shots billiards | make the decisions | While our boss is on vacation, Bob will call the shots. | |
chip in gambling | help by donating money or time | The staff members chipped in 5 dollars each to buy Jody a birthday gift. | |
down to the wire horse racing | right at the end | It's coming down to the wire to get these done on time. | |
front runner track | one of the people who is expected to win | Angela is a front runner for the new supervisor position. | |
get a head start horse racing | start before all others | They gave the walkers a head start in the run for cancer. | |
get into the full swing tennis | be comfortable doing something after some time | It will probably take a month of working at my new job before I get into the full swing of things. | |
get off the hook fishing | escape, have responsibility removed | The child got off the hook for stealing because the security camera was broken. | |
give something or someone a fair shake gambling | try for a while before giving up | You should give Nadine a fair shake before you decide she isn't good enough for the job. | |
get a second wind sailing | have a burst of energy after tiring | I was exhausted after 3 kilometres of running, but I got a second wind after I passed the beach. | |
give it your best shot hunting | try your hardest | Give it your best shot and you may just make it to the finals. | |
give one a run for one's money horseracing | try one's hardest to defeat another person | I know the other team is expected to win, but let's give them a run for their money tonight. | |
go overboard sailing | do or say more than you need to | You can't believe everything Janice says about Rick. She tends to go overboard when she's complaining about him. | |
go to bat for someone baseball | defend someone | Andy is asking for a salary increase, and I'm going to go to bat for him if the boss says no. | |
have the upper hand cards | have a better chance of winning or succeeding | The Blues have the upper hand in the tournament, because none of their players is injured. | |
hit below the belt martial arts | do or say something that is very unfair or cruel | Amanda was hitting below the belt when she called Adrian an unfit father. | |
hit a snag boating | come up against a problem | The renovations were going along great until we hit a snag with the carpet installation. | |
hold all the aces cards | expected to win or succeed | The children hold all the aces when it comes to the father-son baseball tournament. | |
the home stretch baseball | almost the end | I think Alice's pregnancy is in the home stretch. | |
hot shot (big shot) hunting | a person who thinks they are the best | Even though Luke only placed 20th in the ski race, he thinks he's a hot shot. | |
jump the gun track | start too early | I guess I jumped the gun by buying Pam and Steve a wedding gift. They called off the engagement. | |
keep one's head above water swimming | try not to fall behind in work or other duties | We are so busy during the tourist season I can barely keep my head above water. | |
learn the ropes sailing | understand new things | The first week on the job you will just be learning the ropes. | |
let her rip boating | go ahead now | Okay, here are the keys to your new car. Let her rip! | |
level playing field any field sport | everyone has an equal chance | The spelling bee is a level playing field because all of the kids are in grade nine. | |
long shot hunting | a very difficult thing to accomplish | Jim thinks we can afford the house, but I think it's a long shot. | |
make the cut any sport | be chosen to be part of a team or group | I didn't get a second interview, so I'm pretty sure I won't make the cut. | |
neck and neck horse racing | to be in a close tie with someone | George and Stan are neck and neck in the hockey pool. Either of them could win the money. | |
no sweat any sport | no problem | I told Lily it was no sweat for us to babysit next weekend. | |
not playing with a full deck of cards cards | not having full brain capacity | I think Jerry was still drunk at work on Sunday because he wasn't playing with a full deck of cards. | |
not up to par golf | not good enough for a job or position | I'm afraid your resume isn't up to par for the engineering position. | |
to be off base baseball | not making a fair or true remark | You were way off base when you said Bill needed to lose weight. | |
on target darts | doing the right thing to succeed | We are on target to meet our budget this month. | |
on the ball baseball | ready and able | The new receptionist is really on the ball when it comes to answering the phone. | |
out in left field baseball | nowhere near being true, nowhere near doing something correctly | All of the students laughed when Joe gave an answer that was out in left field. | |
out of someone's league team sport | not as good as someone | I'd like to date Maria, but I'm afraid I'm out of her league. | |
par for the course golf | an expected circumstance | Waiting in line is par for the course at Christmas time. | |
plenty of other fish in the sea fishing | there are many other men and women to date | I know you still love Jack, but remember there are plenty of other fish in the sea. | |
race against time track | there is almost no time left to accomplish something | It's a race against time to find a kidney donor for my cousin. | |
settle a score with someone any sport | get even with a person after a previous battle | My brother wants to settle the score with that guy who stole my wallet. | |
shot in the dark hunting | a guess | I was lucky to win the quiz. All my answers were shots in the dark. | |
skate on thin ice skating | do something risky, take a chance | You're skating on thin ice by not sending in your college application before now. | |
start the ball rolling ball sports | begin something | Please can everyone be seated so we can start the ball rolling. | |
step up to the plate baseball | do the honourable thing, take responsibility | It's time you stepped up to the plate and apologized for your mistake. | |
take a rain check baseball | accept at a later time | Sorry, I can't go to the movies today, but I'd love to take a rain check. | |
take sides any sport | choose a person or group to support | I hate to take sides, but I think Jerry is right about the paint colour. | |
take the bull by the horns bull fighting | accept the challenge and try your hardest | Even though this new job will mean relocating, I think you should take the bull by the horns for once. | |
take the wind out of one's sails sailing | make someone feel deflated | I think I took the wind out of Angela's sails when I told her she was a terrible singer. | |
throw in the towel boxing | give up | If they don't accept our offer this time we are going to throw in the towel and look at houses elsewhere. | |
time out any sport | break | Let's take some time out and grab a coffee. | |
three strikes and you're out baseball | you only get three chances | The school's no smoking policy is three strikes and you're out. | |
two strikes against baseball | you only have one chance remaining | Nancy is going to be fired in no time. She already has two strikes against her for coming in late. | |
under the table gambling | illegally | I don't have a work visa, so they have to pay me under the table. | |
win hands down gambling | easy victory | The other team was missing half of its players. We won hands down. |
A Guide For Creative Thinking
Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:12 am by BHSoft
A Guide For Creative Thinking by Brian Tracy
Einstein once said, “Every child is born a genius.” But the reason why most people do not function at genius levels is because they are not aware of how creative and smart they really are.I call it the “Schwarzenegger effect.” No one would look at a person such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and think how lucky he is to have been born with such …
Einstein once said, “Every child is born a genius.” But the reason why most people do not function at genius levels is because they are not aware of how creative and smart they really are.I call it the “Schwarzenegger effect.” No one would look at a person such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and think how lucky he is to have been born with such …
Africain Literature
Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:15 pm by Lily
Things Fall Apart is a 1959 English-language novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first African novels written in English to receive global critical acclaim. The title of the novel comes from [url=http://www.answers.com/topic/william-butler-yeats-3]…
Algeria's Newspapers ...
Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:11 pm by Lily
http://www.algeria press.com/ http://www.algeria press.com/alkhabar.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/elwatan.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/echoroukonline.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/elmoudjahid.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/liberte.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/horizons.htm http://www.algeria-press.com/el-massa.htm [url=http://www.algeria-press.com/ech-chaab.htm]… |
Algerian Vote
American English
Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:00 pm by Maria
Going to is pronounced GONNA when it is used to show the future. But it is never reduced when it means going from one place to another.
We're going to grab a bite to eat. = We're gonna grab a bite to eat.
I'm going to the office tonight. = I'm going to the office tonight.
2. Want to and want a are both pronounced WANNA and wants to is pronounced WANSTA. Do you want to can also be reduced …
We're going to grab a bite to eat. = We're gonna grab a bite to eat.
I'm going to the office tonight. = I'm going to the office tonight.
2. Want to and want a are both pronounced WANNA and wants to is pronounced WANSTA. Do you want to can also be reduced …
American Slangs
Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:54 pm by Maria
airhead: stupid person.
"Believe it or not, Dave can sometimes act like an airhead!"
amigo: friend (from Spanish).
"I met many amigos at Dave's ESL Cafe."
ammunition: toilet paper.
"Help! We're completely out of ammunition!"
antifreeze: alcohol.
"I'm going to need a lot of antifreeze tonight!"
armpit: dirty, unappealing place.
…
"Believe it or not, Dave can sometimes act like an airhead!"
amigo: friend (from Spanish).
"I met many amigos at Dave's ESL Cafe."
ammunition: toilet paper.
"Help! We're completely out of ammunition!"
antifreeze: alcohol.
"I'm going to need a lot of antifreeze tonight!"
armpit: dirty, unappealing place.
…
An Introduction to the British Civilization
Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:54 am by Maria
University of Batna First Year
English Department G: 6-7-8-9
General Culture
[center]An Introduction to the British Civilization
*The United Kingdom :
Full Name : The UK's full and official name is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
Location: The United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country …
English Department G: 6-7-8-9
General Culture
[center]An Introduction to the British Civilization
*The United Kingdom :
Full Name : The UK's full and official name is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
Location: The United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country …
Announcements and News
Applying for Research Study in the Department of English
Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:32 pm by Lily
Applying for Research Study in the Department of English
The process of applying for a research studentship begins with the identification of a potential supervisor. If you already know a staffmember who is willing to work with you to develop a research proposal,please start by contacting them. If you do not have a supervisor inmind already, …
2 posters
English Idioms
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°1
Sports Idioms
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°2
Body Idioms
Body Idioms
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
all ears | fully listening | Give me a minute to finish my work and then I'll be all ears to hear about your project. | |
break a leg | good-luck | Today's the big game, eh? Break a leg! | |
cold feet | nervous just before a big event | My sister didn't get cold feet until she put her wedding gown on. | |
cost an arm and a leg | be very expensive | These cakes are delicious, but they cost an arm and a leg. | |
cry your heart out | cry very hard | I cried my heart out when my best friend moved away. | |
face the music | meet, stand up to unpleasant conseqences, for example criticism or punishment | I stayed out all night. When I eventually got home I had to face the music from my wife. | |
(my) flesh and blood | relative | I have to hire Mia. She's my own flesh and blood. | |
get something off one's chest | tell someone your problems | Thanks for listening to me complain about my boss. I just needed to get this off my chest. | |
give a hand, lend a hand | help (someone) do something | I can give you a hand when you move if you like. | |
have one's head in the clouds | be unaware or unrealistic about something | Amy has her head in the clouds if she thinks she's going to pass her exams without studying. | |
head over heels | deeply in love | My brother is head over heels for his new girlfriend. | |
head start | an earlier start | The kids gave Anthony a head start in the bicycle race because he was the youngest. | |
in over one's head | taking on a task that you can't handle | I was in over my head when I agreed to babysit the triplets and the dogs. | |
keep an eye on | take care of, watch in order to protect | I'll keep an eye on the dinner while you're on the phone. | |
keep one's chin up | try to be cheerful | Keep your chin up. I'm sure you'll make some friends soon. | |
learn by heart, know by heart | memorize | I learned my multiplication tables by heart in the fourth grade. | |
let one's hair down | relax, have fun | Go to the cottage and let your hair down this weekend. | |
(my) lips are sealed | promise to keep a secret | Don't worry, I won't tell your mother how much you spent. My lips are sealed. | |
makes my blood boil | makes me very angry | It makes my blood boil when people don't tie up their dogs. | |
neck of the woods | nearby location or region | I heard that they might be opening a post office in our neck of the woods soon. | |
(an) old hand | an experienced person | My uncle's an old hand at car repair. He'll know what the problem is. | |
over my dead body | not unless I'm dead and can't stop you | My daughter wants a tatoo. I told her she'd get one over my dead body. | |
pat on the back | recognition or a thank-you | The party organizers deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. | |
play something by ear | do something without a plan | We don't know if the weather will be good enough for camping. We'll have to play it by ear. | |
pull one's leg | joke or tease someone | I was just pulling your leg. I'm not really a police officer. | |
rule of thumb | basic rule (not always followed) | The rule of thumb is that the students wear black pants and white shirts. | |
see eye to eye | agree | The couple don't see eye to eye on how to train their pets. | |
(by the) skin of one's teeth | just barely | I passed my exam by the skin of my teeth. | |
stick your neck out | help someone a lot, with possible bad consequences for oneself | I stuck my neck out for Bessie when she was thrown out of her house. | |
sweet tooth | a love of sugar or sweet things | I need three spoonfuls of sugar in my tea. I have a sweet tooth. | |
thick in the head | not very intelligent | I'm a bit thick in the head when it comes to reading a map. | |
wash one's hands of something | stop dealing with an issue or problem | I'm washing my hands of Mary's addiction. She is going to have to get some professional help. |
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°3
Geography and Weather Idioms
Geography and Weather Idioms
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
(on) cloud nine | extremely happy | Andrea was on cloud nine when she bought her new car. | |
dig deep | look hard for information | I had to dig deep to find my old report cards. | |
dirt cheap | very inexpensive | The clothes at the thrift shop are dirt cheap. | |
down to earth | natural or real (personality) | Lucile is really down to earth for a woman with so much money. | |
fair-weather friend | a person who is only a friend in good times | I can't talk to Nancy about my boyfriend problems. She's only a fair-weather friend. | |
a field day | a very enjoyable time | The kids had a field day at the water slide park. | |
go downhill | get progressively worse | My grades started going downhill when I got a part-time job. | |
go with the flow | continue in the same way as others | Nobody trained me at work. I just went with the flow. | |
hit the hay | go to sleep | I'm exhausted. I think I'll hit the hay early tonight. | |
hit the road | leave | It's getting late. We had better hit the road. | |
keep one's head above water | have just enough money to live | It's hard to keep my head above water with all of these medical bills. | |
know which way the wind blows | know how things will turn out | Who knows which way the wind will blow? I just hope Jesse gets one of the jobs he's applied for. | |
make a mountain out of a molehill | make a small problem seem big | The car only got a tiny dent. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. | |
out of the woods | clear of danger | The doctor said my heart is doing better, but I'm not out of the woods yet. | |
over the hill | past middle age | I knew I was over the hill when I started needing glasses to read. | |
rain on someone else's parade | ruin somebody else's happiness | Whenever I had a dance recital, my older brother always rained on my parade. | |
stick-in-the-mud | a loner or person who won't join in | They didn't bother inviting Charles to the party because he's alway a stick-in-the-mud. | |
(as) quick as lightning | very fast | Wow! Your shower was as quick as lightning. | |
the tip of the iceberg | a small part of a large problem | The lost tickets were just the tip of the iceberg. | |
take a raincheck | accept at a later date | I'd love to go out for dinner, but can I take a raincheck? | |
under the weather | ill | I was feeling under the weather so I went back to bed. | |
up the creek | in trouble | If my Dad finds out I had a party I'll be up the creek. | |
win by a landslide | win by a lot of points | The skiier in the green coat won by a landslide. | |
(get) wind of something | overhear something about someone or something (often gossip) | My Dad has a new girlfriend. I got wind of it over dinner tonight. |
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°4
Animal Idioms
Animal Idioms
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
ants in one's pants | unable to sit still or remain calm out of nervousness or excitement | Lisa had ants in her pants the day before her interview. | |
(the) birds and the bees | sex education | I learned about the birds and the bees when my baby brother was born. | |
cat nap | a short sleep | I'm going to have a cat nap while you're cooking dinner. | |
cat's got one's tongue | said about someone who doesn't speak (usually due to shyness) | It looks like the cat's got your tongue, Lucy. Are you always this quiet? | |
chicken out | to decide not to do something out of fear (usually just before) | I was going to take a ride on Geoff's motorcyle, but I chickened out when he gave me a helmet to wear. | |
clam up | become quiet suddenly | Arthur clammed up when I asked him about his family. | |
copy cat | a person who does the same thing as someone else | My sister is such a copy cat. First she bought the same car as me, and now she's applying to my school. | |
dog days | very hot days | I sleep in the basement during the dog days of August. | |
dropping like flies | dying/giving up quickly | My roses are dropping like flies in this early frost. | |
eager beaver | a person who is excited about doing certain work | Ever since he got his new drill set my husband has been an eager beaver around the house. | |
fishy | odd, suspicious | I knew something fishy was going on when I saw all of my friends' cars in my mom's driveway. | |
have a cow | get extremely upset (often over something minor) | My teacher had a cow when she realized nobody had done the homework. | |
hold your horses | wait and be patient | Hold your horses! I'll be done in the washroom in a minute. | |
holy cow! | Wow, I'm surprised! | Holy cow! I can't believe you ate everything on your plate. | |
horse around | play roughly | If you're going to horse around, please go outside. | |
get the lion's share | get the greatest percentage | My aunt got the lion's share of the inheritance. | |
in the dog house | in trouble with another person | I don't think Marsha is coming out tonight. She's still in the dog house for forgetting Aaron's birthday. | |
kill two birds with one stone | get two things done at once | If you pick the groceries up when you drop George off for his shift, you will kill two birds with one stone. | |
kitty corner | diagonal direction | The gas station is kitty corner to the library. | |
let the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret | Who let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party? | |
(a) little bird told me | I heard something (usually secretive or unknown) from someone (not named) | A little bird told me that you are thinking of quitting your job. | |
make a beeline | go straight for something | My grandma made a beeline for the smoking room as soon as she got off the airplane. | |
monkey see, monkey do | silly/unintelligent people tend to copy each other's actions | Our one-year-old is saying bad words now. I told my husband, "Monkey see, monkey do!" | |
nest egg | money saved for the future | We have a nest egg that we might have to use if Jim goes on sick leave. | |
pig out | eat a lot of something | I pigged out on pancakes so I don't have room for lunch. | |
raining cats and dogs | raining heavily | I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining cats and dogs. | |
rat race | fierce, competitive struggle for power, position etc | I'm ready to leave this rat race and retire in Mexico. | |
smell a rat | begin to suspect trickery etc | I asked my brothers not to tell my parents that I went out, but I could smell a rat as soon as I opened the door. | |
straight from the horse's mouth | directly from the original source | I know Jenny is pregnant, because I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. | |
take the bull by the horns | face a challenge or danger boldly | If you really think you deserve a promotion, you'll have to take the bull by the horns. | |
until the cows come home | for a very long time | I could eat pizza and ice-cream until the cows come home. |
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°5
Food Idioms
Food Idioms
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
apple of one's eye | a person that is adored by someone | Baby Jessica is the apple of her father's eye. | |
(have a) bun in the oven | be pregnant | I don't think Jan will come to the bar because she has a bun in the oven. | |
bad egg | a person who is often in trouble | I don't want my little brother hanging around with the bad eggs on the street. | |
big cheese | very important person (VIP) | I thought I was just going to interview the secretary, but they let me talk to the big cheese himself. | |
bread and butter | necessities, the main thing | Just explain the bread and butter of your report. You don't have to go into details. | |
bring home the bacon | earn the income | My husband has had to bring home the bacon ever since I broke my leg. | |
(score) brownie points | things done or said that make someone else like you better | I scored brownie points with my teacher by bringing her a cup of coffee. | |
butter someone up | be extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons) | We'll have to butter Angie up before we tell her the news about the broken vase. | |
(have one's) cake and eat it too | want more than your fair share or need | Rick wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be single but he doesn't want me to date anyone else. | |
carrot top | person with red or orange hair | Simon is the first carrot top I've ever gone out with. | |
cheesy | silly | I love reading cheesy romance novels because I don't have to think. | |
cool as a cucumber | very relaxed | I thought I was afraid of flying, but I was cool as a cucumber all the way to England. | |
cream of the crop | the best | We hired the cream of the crop to entertain us at the Christmas party. | |
(don't) cry over spilled milk | get upset over something that has happened and cannot be changed | The mirror is broken and we can't fix it. There's no need to cry over spilled milk. | |
cup of joe | cup of coffee | Let's stop for a cup of joe before we head to work. | |
(not my) cup of tea | something you enjoy (usually used negatively) | Opera isn't exactly my cup of tea. | |
egg someone on | urge someone to do something | The gang tried to egg us on but we didn't want to fight. | |
freeze one's buns off | be very cold | I froze my buns off at the ice rink. | |
full of beans | have a lot of (silly) energy | The kids were full of beans after the circus. | |
gravy train | extremely good pay for minimal work | The unionized grocers have been enjoying the gravy train for twenty years. | |
(have something) handed to someone on a silver platter | receive without working for something | The professor's daughter had her college diploma handed to her on a silver platter. | |
hard nut to crack | difficult to understand (often a person) | Angelo is a hard nut to crack when something is bothering him like this. | |
hot potato | a controversial or difficult subject | Choosing a location for our new store is a hot potato right now. | |
in a nutshell | simply | In a nutshell, I'm having a bad day. | |
nuts about something, someone | like a lot | I'm nuts about classical music these days. | |
out to lunch | crazy or mad | Harry has been out to lunch ever since he lost his job. | |
one smart cookie | a very intelligent person | Your daughter is one smart cookie. She reads much higher than her grade level. | |
peach fuzz | small amount of hair growth | Except for a bit of peach fuzz, the baby came out bald. | |
piece of cake | very easy | The exam was a piece of cake. | |
put all of ones eggs in one basket | rely on one single thing | Even though I'm majoring in Art, I'm taking a maths course because my Dad says I shouldn't put all of my eggs in one basket. | |
souped up | made more powerful or stylish | The car was souped up with shiny rims and a loud stereo. | |
sell like hot cakes | bought by many people | The new Harry Potter books sold like hot cakes. | |
spice things up | make something more exciting | I wanted to spice things up in the office, so I bought some red and gold paint. | |
spill the beans | reveal the truth | On Monday, I'm going to spill the beans about my travel plans. | |
take something with a pinch (grain) of salt | don't consider something 100% accurate | Take Mandy's advice with a pinch of salt. She doesn't always do her research. | |
use your noodle | use your brain | You're going to have to really use your noodle on this crossword puzzle. It's an extra difficult one. |
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°6
Colour Idioms
Colour Idioms
Quiz
Quiz
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence | |
beet red | dark red (usually to describe face) | My sister's face turned beet red when I caught her singing in front of a mirror. | |
black and blue | bruised and beaten | We found the poor guy black and blue near the train tracks. | |
black and white | straight forward, very clear | The rules we gave the kids were black and white. No answering the phone or the door. | |
black out | faint | I always black out at the sight of blood. | |
black sheep | the odd or bad member of the group | My oldest brother was the black sheep in our family. He dropped out of school at fifteen. | |
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth | born into a rich family | Keiko hasn't worked a day in her life. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. | |
catch red handed | catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal | The kids were caught red handed stealing chocolate bars. | |
golden opportunity | the perfect chance | The models' conference was a golden opportunity for me to sell my beauty products. | |
grass is always greener on the other side | you always want what you don't have | I always wanted to go to university, but now I wish I had time to get a job. Grass is always greener on the other side. | |
grey area, gray area | something without a clear rule or answer | Writing personal email in the office is a grey area that needs to be discussed at the next meeting. | |
the green light | permission | The builders were given the green light to begin the tower. | |
green with envy | very jealous | I am green with envy over Julio's new wardrobe. | |
(have a) green thumb | be skillful in the garden | You can tell by her flower garden that Sheila has a green thumb. | |
have the blues | be sad or depressed | I always have the the blues during the winter time. | |
in the dark | unaware | Antoine left his wife in the dark about their honeymoon destination until they got to the airport. | |
in the red | in debt | When we were in the red we almost had to sell the house. | |
once in a blue moon | very rarely | We only go out for dinner once in a blue moon. | |
out of the blue | unexpectedly | I got a phone call from a long lost cousin out of the blue last week. | |
red tape | official or bureaucratic tasks | There is still some red tape to deal with in terms of the inheritance. | |
red eye | an airplane flight that takes off after midnight | I caught the red eye so that I would see the sunrise over the mountains. | |
roll out the red carpet | treat someone like royalty | When relatives come to town my grandmother rolls out the red carpet. | |
rose coloured glasses | unrealistic view | Paula imagines Hollywood with rose coloured glasses. | |
see red | be very angry | I saw red when that guy grabbed my sister's purse. | |
tickled pink | very pleased and appreciative | My mom was tickled pink when my father brought roses home for her. | |
true colours | real self | Suzanne doesn't show her true colours when we have guests over. | |
white lie | an innocent lie to protect another person's feelings | We told Grandma that her cake was delicious, which was actually a white lie. | |
with flying colours | with distinction | I passed my road test with flying colours. |
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
- Post n°7
British English Idioms
a piece of cake
If you say that something is a piece of cake, you mean that it is extremely easy.
another string to your bow
If you have another string to your bow, you have another way of making a living.
eat humble pie
If you eat humble pie, you admit that you are in the wrong and behave apologetically.
a new lease of life
If someone has a new lease of life, they have a new enthusiasm for living.
can't see the wood for the trees
If you can't see the wood for the trees,you can't see the whole situation clearly because you're looking too closely at small details, or because you're too closely involved.
If you say that something is a piece of cake, you mean that it is extremely easy.
another string to your bow
If you have another string to your bow, you have another way of making a living.
eat humble pie
If you eat humble pie, you admit that you are in the wrong and behave apologetically.
a new lease of life
If someone has a new lease of life, they have a new enthusiasm for living.
can't see the wood for the trees
If you can't see the wood for the trees,you can't see the whole situation clearly because you're looking too closely at small details, or because you're too closely involved.
a drop in the ocean
If an amount is a drop in the ocean, it's a very small portion of the amount that's needed.
jobs for the boys
If you say "jobs for the boys" you're referring to the fact that people in positions of power sometimes use their power to give jobs to their friends or family members.
If an amount is a drop in the ocean, it's a very small portion of the amount that's needed.
jobs for the boys
If you say "jobs for the boys" you're referring to the fact that people in positions of power sometimes use their power to give jobs to their friends or family members.
a zebra crossing
A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.
come up trumps
If you come up trumps, you succeed in something that you may not have been expected to succeed in.
itchy feetInformal
If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different.
just the ticket
You can say something is just the ticket if it's the perfect thing or if it's exactly what's needed.
off your own bat
If you do something off your own bat, you do it without being asked to or told to.
at a loose end
If you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.
come a cropperInformal
If you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has serious consequences for you.
go down a treat
If something goes down a treat, it's a great success and everyone enjoys it.
take the mickey | mick out of someoneInformal
If you're taking the mickey out of someone, or taking the mick out of them, you're making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.
an axe to grind (2)
If you have an axe to grind, you have a strong opinion about something and you express this opinion whenever you can.
make a song and dance about something
If you make a song and dance about something, you make a big deal out of, or a fuss over, something that isn't very important.
right up your street
If something is right up your street, it would be perfect for you or ideal for your skills and interests.
um and ah
If you "um and ah" you're having trouble deciding what to say, or you're having trouble telling somebody something.
A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.
come up trumps
If you come up trumps, you succeed in something that you may not have been expected to succeed in.
itchy feetInformal
If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different.
just the ticket
You can say something is just the ticket if it's the perfect thing or if it's exactly what's needed.
off your own bat
If you do something off your own bat, you do it without being asked to or told to.
at a loose end
If you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.
come a cropperInformal
If you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has serious consequences for you.
go down a treat
If something goes down a treat, it's a great success and everyone enjoys it.
take the mickey | mick out of someoneInformal
If you're taking the mickey out of someone, or taking the mick out of them, you're making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.
an axe to grind (2)
If you have an axe to grind, you have a strong opinion about something and you express this opinion whenever you can.
make a song and dance about something
If you make a song and dance about something, you make a big deal out of, or a fuss over, something that isn't very important.
right up your street
If something is right up your street, it would be perfect for you or ideal for your skills and interests.
um and ah
If you "um and ah" you're having trouble deciding what to say, or you're having trouble telling somebody something.
Lily- Admin
Number of posts : 776
Age : 46
Location : Montreal/Canada
Job/hobbies : University Teacher / Phd Student /Fitness Coach
Humor : Optimist
Registration date : 2009-03-03
English Idioms
Idioms and idiomatic expressions in English
An idiom is a group of words in current usage having a meaning that is not deducible from those of the individual words. For example, "to rain cats and dogs" - which means "to rain very heavily" - is an idiom; and "over the moon" - which means "extremely happy" - is another idiom. In both cases, you would have a hard time understanding the real meaning if you did not already know these idioms!
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There are two features that identify an idiom: firstly, we cannot deduce the meaning of the idiom from the individual words; and secondly, both the grammar and the vocabulary of the idiom are fixed, and if we change them we lose the meaning of the idiom. Thus the idiom "pull your socks up" means "improve the way you are behaving" (or it can have a literal meaning); if we change it grammatically to "pull your sock up" or we change its vocabulary to "pull your stockings up", then we must interpret the phrase literally - it has lost its idiomatic meaning.
How should one index an idioms reference? Do we list the idiom "kick the bucket" under K for "kick" or B for "bucket"? Given that Internet users have the option of searching for individual words with the search function, the approach we have taken is to list all idioms in strict alphabetical order, omitting the indefinite and definite articles (a,an, the) and some pronouns if they occur at the beginning of the idiom.Thus, for example, the idiom "kick the bucket" is indexed under K,while the idiom "a ballpark figure" is indexed under B.
Many idioms originated as quotations from well-known writers such as Shakespeare. For example, "at one fell swoop" comes from Macbeth and "cold comfort" from King John. Sometimes such idioms today have a meaning that has been altered from the original quotation.
Some idioms are typically used in one version of English rather than another. For example, the idiom "yellow journalism" originated and is used in American English. Other idioms may be used in a slightly different form in different varieties of English. Thus the idiom "a drop in the ocean" in British and Australian English becomes "a drop in the bucket" in American English. However, in general, globalization and the effects of film, television and the Internet mean that there is less and less distinction between idioms of different varieties of English. In this reference we have tagged an idiom with one variety of English or another only when the idiom really is restricted to a particular variety of English or to indicate that the idiom originated in that particular variety of English.
Quick searches:Formal English idioms
Informal English idioms
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Maria
Number of posts : 29
Age : 39
Location : Batna
Job/hobbies : Teacher/ Aesthetician
Registration date : 2009-03-05
- Post n°9
English Idioms
Face the music:If you have to face the music, you have to accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions.
"He was caught stealing. Now he has to face the music!"
Face like thunder: If someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry.
"When Dad is really angry, he has a face like thunder!"
Face value:If you take something at its face value, you assume that it is genuinely what it appears to be.
"The car seems to be in good condition, but don't take it at its face value; get a mechanic to check it out."
Blow up in someone's face:When working on a plan or project, if it suddenly goes wrong or fails, it blows up in your face.
"The trip was difficult to organize, but it blew up in his face when the airline company went on strike."
Keep a straight face:If you keep a straight face, you look serious although you really want to laugh.
Put on a brave face:When confronted with difficulties, if you put on a brave face, you try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not as bad as it is. "Even at the worst of times she put on a brave face."
Two-faced:Someone who is two-faced is deceitful or insincere; they will say one thing to your face and another when you're not there.
"I don't trust Jack. I find him two-faced."
"He was caught stealing. Now he has to face the music!"
Face like thunder: If someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry.
"When Dad is really angry, he has a face like thunder!"
Face value:If you take something at its face value, you assume that it is genuinely what it appears to be.
"The car seems to be in good condition, but don't take it at its face value; get a mechanic to check it out."
Blow up in someone's face:When working on a plan or project, if it suddenly goes wrong or fails, it blows up in your face.
"The trip was difficult to organize, but it blew up in his face when the airline company went on strike."
Keep a straight face:If you keep a straight face, you look serious although you really want to laugh.
Put on a brave face:When confronted with difficulties, if you put on a brave face, you try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not as bad as it is. "Even at the worst of times she put on a brave face."
Two-faced:Someone who is two-faced is deceitful or insincere; they will say one thing to your face and another when you're not there.
"I don't trust Jack. I find him two-faced."
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