IDIOMS
By Kangsholeh.blogspot.com
Idioms merupakan gabungan kata atau rangkaian
kata-kata yang mempunyai arti tertentu. Arti idiom tidak bisa ditebak
berdasarkan arti kata-kata yang membentuk idiom tersebut, misalnya kata go about.
Kata tersebut tidak terkadang mempunyai arti berbeda dengan kata dasarnya. Kata
go artinya pergi sedangkan about artinya tentang. Arti idiom kata
tersebut adalah mengusahakan. Idiom juga tidak
mempunyai pola-pola tertentu. Oleh karena itu, cara terbaik untuk menguasai
idiom adalah dengan mempelajari, menghafalkan dan menggunakannya.
Berikut idiom yang sering dipakai dalam bahasa
Inggris.
1. Idiom
yang merupakan gabungan dari kata sifat dan kata benda.
a cold war à perang
dingin
a heavy smoker à
perokok berat
hot
news à berita
hangat
2. Idiom
yang merupakan gabungan dari dua kata benda.
the man
in the street à orang
kebanyakan
the lay
man à orang awam
the
root of an evil à sumber
malapetaka
3. Idiom
yang merupakan gabungan dari dua kata sifat.
more or
less à kira-kira
more
and more à makin
for
better or for worse à apapun
yang terjadi
4. Idiom
yang merupakan gabungan dari dua kata keterangan.
again
and again à
berulang-ulang
on and
on à terus
menerus
backwards
and forwards à bolak
balik
5. Idiom
yang menggunakan anggota badan.
to be
double face à tidak
jujur.
to lose
face à mendapat
malu.
to save
face à menyelamatkan
nama baik.
6. Idiom
yang menggunakan warna.
a
blacklist à daftar
nama orang yang berbuat kesalahan
a black
mark à pasar
gelap
to
black out à pingsan
7. Idiom
yang menggunakan kata kerja.
to be
born under a lucky starà selalu beruntung
to be
mad about someone à tergila-gila
dengan seseorang
to come
of age à menginjak
dewasa
to eat
like a horse à makan
sangat banyak.
Referensi:
Murdibjono & Murdibjono, Arwijati. Paham
Bahasa Inggris. 2008. Malang. Penerbit Universitas Negeri Malang (UM
Press).
The
list of idioms
ring
a bell
|
A:
Do you know April O’Neil?
B:
Hmm. Maybe. That name rings a bell.
Definition
= is familiar to you but you can't remember where you heard it |
on
the one hand / on the other hand
|
On
the one hand, Peter’s roommate is kind. On the other hand, he’s quite messy.
Definition
= (expression used to when considering the advantages and disadvantages of sth) |
have/keep
an open mind
|
I
tried to keep an open mind about Allan even though I’d heard some bad things
about him.
Definition
= be open minded |
on
the tip of your tongue
|
His
name was on the tip of my tongue… but I couldn’t remember it.
Definition
= used to say you are almost able to remember something, but you can't |
a
hang over (noun) / hung-over (adj)
|
Tyler
was too hung-over from last night’s party to go to work.
Definition
= unwell from drinking too much alcohol on the previous day |
fed
up
|
I’m
fed up with my neighbour’s dog.
Definition
= so angry that you can no longer tolerate any more of sth |
Big
deal!
|
It
takes you 15 minutes to walk to school? Big deal!
Definition
= a sarcastic expression meaning that sth is actually NOT a big deal. |
Give
somebody a hand
|
My
dad gave me a hand with my homework.
Definition
= helped you |
let
the cat out of the bag
|
It
was going to be a surprise party, until Todd let the cat out of the bag.
Definition
= told the secret so other people found out too early |
give
it a shot
|
If
you think you can make the team, then give it a shot.
Definition
= give it a try |
No
way!
|
A:
George, I’m pregnant.
B:
No way!
Definition
= similar to "that can't be possible!" / "I don't believe you!" |
The
more the merrier.
|
A:
Can I invite my brother?
B:
Sure. The more the merrier.
Definition
= used to say that the more of sth there is, the better it will be. |
give
it your all
|
Even
though I lost the race, I gave it my all.
Definition
= tried your hardest |
first-hand
|
I
saw the accident happen, first-hand.
Definition
= you experienced it personally |
a
dead end
|
Let’s
not take this path. It leads to a dead end.
Definition
= a place with only an end |
time flies
|
Time
flies when your having fun.
Definition
= time passes quickly |
pull
somebody’s leg
|
“You
have 6 brothers? You’re pulling my leg!”
Definition
|
have
sth on your mind
|
When
Dana has something on her mind, she likes to go for a long walk by herself.
Definition
= to have a certain topic in your thoughts |
keep
track
|
I
use my watch to keep track of time.
Definition
= to monitor the time |
from
scratch
|
My
aunt made the cake from scratch.
Definition
= from nothing (without any already-prepared materials) |
off
the top of your head
|
He
asked me to tell him a joke, but I couldn’t think of one off the top of my
head.
Definition
= using only the ideas you have in your head at that moment |
learn
your lesson
|
The
boy learned his lesson. He’ll never play with fire again.
Definition
= to learn sth important about life from making a mistake/doing something wrong |
keep/bear
in mind
|
The
professor told his students to keep in mind that they only have 50 minutes to
complete the test.
Definition
= not forget; remember |
speak
your mind
|
Timmy
was afraid to speak his mind in front of his schoolmates.
Definition
= say what you honestly feel |
Just
my luck!
|
It
rained on my only day off. Just my luck!
Definition
= expression used when sth unlucky happens to you. It implies that unlucky things happen to you, thus your luck is bad luck |
There’s
nothing to it.
|
Why
don’t you make a simple website for your business? There’s nothing to it.
Definition
= it's very easy; it's a piece of cake |
get
out of hand
|
The
house party got out of hand, so we had to call the police.
Definition
= got out of control |
cut
a long story short
|
To
cut a long story short, Lisa and I have had some interesting experiences
together.
Definition
= to make a long story shorter so it takes less time to say |
a piece of cake
|
The
test was a piece of cake. I finished it in 20 minutes.
Definition
= very easy |
go
out of your way to do sth
|
I
went out of my way to help Jenny find an apartment, and she didn’t even say
thanks!
Definition
= to take extra time to make an additional effort to do sth |
cross your mind
|
The
thought never even crossed my mind.
Definition
= to think about sth; to consider sth |
road
rage
|
I
don’t like being in the car with Gary. He has difficulty controlling his road
rage.
Definition
= extreme anger when driving |
go
on about
|
The
old man went on about his school days for nearly an hour.
Definition
= to speak for too long about sth uninteresting |
slip
your mind
|
I
was going to return the library books today after work, but the thought
slipped my mind.
Definition
= used to say you forgot to do sth |
have/throw
a fit
|
The
baby threw a fit when I took his toy away.
Definition
= to get angry and begin acting like an angry child |
The
ball is in your court
|
The
ball is in their court now. Let’s wait for their decision.
Definition
= used to say that YOU now have control of the situation |
make
your day
|
Finding
a fifty-dollar bill on the ground made my day.
Definition
= used to say that sth made your day special (and great). |
a
rip off / to rip somebody off
|
Six
dollars for a cup of coffee?! What a rip off!
Definition
= sth very over-priced |
get
a kick out of sth
|
I
get a kick out of reading science fiction novels.
Definition
= to get enjoyment from sth |
catch
somebody’s eye
|
The
bright advertisement caught my eye.
Definition
= to grab sb's attention and make them look at sth |
jump the gun
|
I
jumped the gun and asked Gail to marry me. She said she wasn't sure what to
say.
Definition
= to do sth too soon. |
give
somebody a piece of your mind
|
The
angry worker gave his boss a piece of his mind.
Definition
= to speak angrily to sb about sth bad they have done |
cross
your fingers
|
Kate
crossed her fingers and hoped it wouldn’t rain on her wedding day.
Definition
= (Westerners cross their fingers when they want good luck) |
cost
somebody an arm and a leg
|
The
designer handbag cost her an arm and a leg.
Definition
= to cost a LOT of money |
be
in hot water
|
Ken
was in hot water about forgetting his wedding anniversary.
Definition
= to be in trouble |
an
eye-opener
|
The
film on global warming was a real eye-opener for Tom.
Definition
= sth that makes you see or think about sth differently from then on |
let
off steam
|
Ted
plays squash when he needs to let off steam.
Definition
= to release anger and frustration |
read
between the lines
|
You
can figure out the author’s opinion by reading between the lines.
Definition
= to find the hidden meaning in sth that is written or said |
go
all out
|
We
went all out and booked a five-star hotel for our trip.
Definition
= to use all of your energy or resources (e.g. money in the above example) to do sth |
out
of line
|
Mark’s
comment was out of line. He shouldn’t have said that to a client.
Definition
= inappropriate; not in accordance with how sb is supposed to behave |
be
on somebody’s back
|
My
manager is on my back about being at work on time.
Definition
= to persistently urge somebody to do (or not to do) sth |
would
not be seen/caught dead
|
I
wouldn’t be seen dead wearing an ugly dress like that.
Definition
= used to say that you would NEVER do sth |
have mixed feelings
|
Larry
has mixed feelings about his new job.
Definition
= to be unsure about sth |
draw
a blank
|
When
asked for her postal code, Amy drew a blank.
Definition
= to be unable to remember anything |
You
name it.
|
A:
Daddy, can I have anything on the menu?
B:
Sure. You name it, you got it.
Definition
= synonym of 'whatever you want'; anything |
know
your stuff
|
Jim
has been a mechanic for 20 years. He really knows his stuff.
Definition
= to know sth well |
left,
right and centre
|
Businesses
were closing in town left, right and centre.
Definition
= everywhere |
a
change of heart
|
After
seeing a mouse on the floor, I had a change of heart about eating at the
restaurant.
Definition
= a change of feeling; used to say you changed your mind about sth |
a
long haul
|
Peter
told his boss that he wouldn’t quit. He’s in it for the long haul.
Definition
= the long road; the option that takes the most time |
be
man enough
|
George
was the only one man enough to admit he had made a mistake.
Definition
= strong enough in character, or strong enough as a man |
be second to none
|
The
apple pie at this restaurant is second to none.
Definition
= the best |
know/learn
the ropes
|
It
took me a month to learn the ropes at my new job.
Definition
= the process of learning about sth so you are comfortable with it |
a
breath of fresh air
|
The
new employee, Gail, is a breath of fresh air in the office.
Definition
= sth new that adds life and energy to a situation |
get
your act together
|
The
coach told me that if I didn’t get my act together, I’d be kicked off the
team.
Definition
= start behaving properly |
set
your heart on sth
|
Eric
has his heart set on participating in the Olympics.
Definition
= to be firmly resolved to do sth |
take
somebody/sth for granted
|
Keith
took it for granted that his girlfriend would always stay with him. Then, one
day, she was gone.
Definition
= to assume too confidently that you'll have sth in the future or forever |
play
it by ear
|
A:
How long will you stay in Australia?
B:
I’m not sure. I’m just going to play it by ear.
Definition
= to improvise; to not make a plan but decide what to do as you do it |
put all your eggs in one basket
|
Greg
invested his money in a few different areas. He didn’t want to put all his
eggs in one basket.
Definition
= to put all of sth you have in the same area (note: generally viewed as a bad thing to do) |
Birds
of a feather (flock together)
|
A:
It’s funny that all of Kate’s friends are attractive.
B:
So is she. I guess birds of a feather flock together.
Definition
= similar people tend to spend time with each other. |
have
second thoughts
|
I’m
starting to have second thoughts about my new apartment.
Definition
= to have doubts |
pay
the price for sth
|
Don’t
touch my stuff. If you do, you’ll pay the price.
Definition
= to suffer as a consequence of doing sth |
a
basket case
|
Darryl’s
ex-wife is a total basket case.
Definition
= a crazy person; a nut |
on
the dot
|
We
arrived at 8 o’clock on the dot.
Definition
= exactly |
not
have a clue
|
I
don’t have a clue where Nunavut is.
Definition
= to have no idea or absolutely no knowledge (about sth) |
have
a shot at
|
Our
team has a shot at winning the championship.
Definition
= has a chance |
the
word spread
|
It
took only an hour for word to spread around the office that John had been
fired.
Definition
= for some news to spread ("the word" = some news) |
safe
and sound
|
I
arrived home from my trip safe and sound.
Definition
|
be
a pain (in the neck)
|
My
brother is a real pain in the neck sometimes.
Definition
= to be annoying/irritating |
be
in the same boat
|
The
governments of Portugal and Greece are in the same boat. They both need
financial assistance.
Definition
= to be in the same situation |
be/feel
at home
|
After
two years, James felt at home in Prague.
Definition
= to feel comfortable, as if you were in your home or hometown |
be
in somebody’s good books
|
Ryan
is not in his father’s good books right now because he scratched his car.
Definition
= to be on someone's good side; to be thought of as someone's friend or ally |
get
out of bed on the wrong side
|
I’d
avoid talking with Bob today. He must’ve got out of bed on the wrong side.
Definition
= to wake up in a bad mood |
up-and-coming
|
Roger
is an up-and-coming hockey player from Toronto.
Definition
= young and rising to the top; new and becoming successful |
get
into gear
|
You’d
better get into gear or you’ll be late.
Definition
= hurry up; start moving at a faster speed |
out
of the blue
|
One
day, out of the blue, I received a letter from my former schoolmate.
Definition
= unscheduled; without previous warning |
set
the record straight
|
In
a TV interview, the politician set the record straight about his experiences
in the military.
Definition
= to clarify what is true/factual about a story or thing |
keep
an eye on
|
The
security guard kept an eye on the suspicious man.
Definition
= watch closely; monitor |
a
grey area
|
Because
of a grey area in his job description, Peter was not exactly sure what all of
his responsibilities were.
Definition
= a vague area; an unclear area; an area that is neither black nor white |
get/let
somebody off the hook
|
Luckily
for her, the policeman let Jane off the hook for parking her car in a
no-parking zone.
Definition
= to let someone go free instead of holding them responsible for sth bad |
out
of sight, out of mind.
|
Jim
was happy when his ex-girlfriend moved out of his apartment — out of sight,
out of mind.
Definition
= to improvise; to not make a plan but decide what to do as you do it |
give
somebody the cold shoulder
|
Ted
gave his ex-girlfriend the cold shoulder when he saw her at the party.
Definition
= to ignore sb |
The
ins and outs
|
It
took Alan a year to learn all the ins and outs of his job.
Definition
= to know all aspects of sth; to know completely how sth works |
line
of work
|
The
fireman said that injuries were common in his line of work.
Definition
= job field; type of work |
make
do
|
I
forgot to buy groceries so I had to make do with what was left in the fridge.
Definition
= to survive/get by with what you have at that moment |
get
sth off your chest
|
A:
Keith, there’s something I need to get off my chest.
B:
What’s bothering you? Tell me.
Definition
= to say something serious or difficult that you have been thinking about for a while. |
know
sth like the back of your hand
|
Takeshi
knows the streets of Kyoto like the back of his hand.
Definition
= to be very familiar with sth |
in
the bag
|
After
scoring their fourth goal, the victory was in the bag.
Definition
= certain to be secured/obtained; |
be
on the ball
|
Greg
isn’t on the ball today. He keeps making silly mistakes.
Definition
= to be thinking well and reacting quickly |
off
and on / on and off
|
Tara
and Mike have been seeing each other off and on for a year now.
Definition
= intermittently |
for
the time being
|
I
plan to move into my own apartment in September. For the time being, I’m
staying with friend Doug.
Definition
= just for the present moment |
burn
your bridges
|
Jack
tried to be kind to his boss when he quit in job because he didn’t want to
burn his bridges.
Definition
= ruin a relationship, resulting in you being unable to return somewhere |
get/be
given the sack / sack (verb)
|
Alan
got the sack for repeatedly coming into work late.
Definition
= to be fired |
on
the back burner
|
The
project was put on the back burner while the company focused on a more
immediate problem.
Definition
= set as a lower priority |
get
cold feet
|
It’s
normal to get cold feet before your wedding day.
Definition
= to become nervous/frightened right before sth you had planned to do |
hit
rock bottom
|
After
being fired and then kicked out of his apartment, Jake really hit rock
bottom.
Definition
= to be in the lowest situation, e.g. without money or friends. to be in the unhappiest situation of your life |
talk
shop
|
Everyone
agreed not to talk shop at the staff party.
Definition
= to talk about work-related things |
start/get
the ball rolling
|
It’s
time we start the ball rolling on the new project.
Definition
= to take the first step to begin a process |
get
your foot in the door
|
Janice
took a position as an administrative assistant to get her foot in the door at
the famous fashion company.
Definition
= to complete the first step towards achieving an opportunity |
well-off
/ well-to-do
|
Lloyd
comes from a well-to-do family. His friends often ask to borrow money from
him.
Definition
= rich; wealthy |
pull
your weight
|
Lisa
had to work extra hard because a few members of the team weren’t pulling
their weight.
Definition
= to do your share of the work; to contribute your share of effort |
a
gut feeling
|
I
have a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen today.
Definition
= an intuitive feeling |
if
need be
|
If
need be, we can take a taxi home.
Definition
= If necessary,.. |
in
the middle of nowhere
|
Their
car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
Definition
= in a place far away from anywhere known to you |
go
with the flow
|
Jake
didn’t want to go to another bar, but everyone else did, so he went with the
flow.
Definition
= to let yourself to be guided by the choices of others |
play
your cards right
|
If
Linda plays her cards right, she could be the department manager by next
year.
Definition
= make the appropriate moves/choices |
follow
in somebody’s footsteps
|
Bill
chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a dentist.
Definition
= follow someone else's path |
have
your heart set on sth
|
Alan
has his heart set on participating in the 2020 Olympics.
Definition
= to be firmly resolved to do sth |
You
can say that again!
|
A:
I met your boss today. He’s a real jerk.
B:
You can say that again!
Definition
= expression that means that you definitely agree with what was just said. |
I’m
all ears
|
A:
Doug, I’ve discovered the meaning of life.
B:
Really? I’m all ears.
Definition
= I'm listening intently. |
small
talk
|
After
some small talk, the interview began.
Definition
= discussion about light topics such as the weather |
put
sth on hold
|
Greg
had to put his weekend plans on hold and go into the office on Saturday for a
few hours.
Definition
= to postpone sth |
common
ground
|
The
two boys had some common ground: they both loved football.
Definition
= something held in common; a common interest or trait |
politically
(in)correct
|
Marcel
told a politically incorrect joke at the company party. No one laughed.
Definition
= politically correct = worded in a sensitive way that will not harm the audience |
have
had it up to here
|
“I’ve
had it up to here with this mess! Clean your room now!”
Definition
= I'm fed up; I've had enough; something said when you cannot handle anymore of something that is aggravating you |
have
your work cut out
|
If
we want to finish this by Friday, then we’ve really got our work cut out for
us.
Definition
= expression that means you have a lot of work to do in little time |
get
the picture
|
A:
The fight was horrible. One man kept punching the other again and again and
again–
B:
OK. That’s enough. I get the picture.
Definition
= to understand what is being illustrated or explained |
see
eye to eye
|
Mike
and his father don’t see eye to eye on the issue of abortion.
Definition
= to agree on sth; to have the same views on sth |
call it a day
|
It’s
already 6 pm. Let’s call it a day.
Definition
= expression said near the end of a day which means "That's enough for today. Let's end and go home." |
twist
somebody’s arm
|
I
really had to twist my sister’s arm to get her to pick me up from the
airport.
Definition
= to make a great effort to convince sb to do sth for you |
bring
sth to light
|
The
report brought some previously unknown facts to light about the causes of
cancer.
Definition
= to make something previously unknown become known |
be
in the dark / keep somebody in the dark
|
Most
of the employees were kept in the dark about the merger until the last
minute.
Definition
= to be uninformed; to not be told know what's happening |
go
up in smoke
|
After
breaking his leg, Darryl’s dream to play professional hockey went up in
smoke.
Definition
= to be wasted; to become impossible; when the chances of sth happening burn away |
go
downhill
|
After
his wife divorced him, Victor’s life really went downhill.
Definition
= decline; become worse |
at
your fingertips
|
With
the World Wide Web, people have a vast amount of information at their
fingertips.
Definition
= directly accessible |
poke
fun at
|
The
kids poked fun at George because he was wearing his t-shirt backwards.
Definition
= to make fun of somebody |
Easier said than done.
|
A:
You should get a girlfriend who’s beautiful AND kind.
B: Easier said than done.
Definition
= expression that means that sth is much easier to SAY than actually accomplish. |
the
bottom line
|
A:
Doctor, what’s the bottom line?
B: If you don’t quit smoking, you’ll die within a year.
Definition
= the final result |
call
the shots
|
The
boss told Janet to call the shots while he was away.
Definition
= to make the decisions |
know/learn
sth by heart
|
Hank
knows every Elvis song by heart.
Definition
= to memorize sth |
get
a move on
|
If
we don’t get a move on, we’ll miss the bus.
Definition
= to start moving; to start going |
miss
the point
|
“You
missed the point. The book was about the problems of capitalism, not how to
make money.”
Definition
= to fail to grasp the most important part of sth |
hold/stand
your ground
|
Although
their enemy outnumbered them, the soldiers stood their ground.
Definition
= to stay in your position without running away. |
be
child’s play
|
The
tennis match was child’s play for Ben.
Definition
= a piece of cake; something so easy a child could do it |
be
only a matter of time
|
The
scientist said it’s only a matter of time before a big earthquake hits
California.
Definition
= used to say that sth will inevitably happen (sooner or later) |
push
your luck
|
A:
Dad, can I have another ice cream cone?
B:
Don’t push your luck, kid.
Definition
= to expect continued good fortune |
raise
(a few) eyebrows
|
Francine’s
short skirt raised a few eyebrows.
Definition
= to make people slightly shocked or surprised |
a
matter of opinion
|
The
best restaurant in Europe is, of course, a matter of opinion.
Definition
= sth that is subjective |
be
that as it may
|
A:
Tyler is such a selfish guy.
B:
Be that as it may, he’s your brother. You have to love him.
Definition
= expression that means "even though that is true" / "even so, .." |
if/when
push comes to shove
|
If
push comes to shove, I’ll be here to support you.
Definition
= if/when the situation becomes difficult/intense |
against
your better judgment
|
Against
his better judgment, Jim let his friend drive home drunk.
Definition
= sth you did even though, at that time, you thought it was wrong thing to do |
add
insult to injury
|
To
add insult to injury, Greg’s wife left him for his best friend.
Definition
= to make an insulting situation even worse |
the
last straw
|
When
the boss told me to come in to work on Saturday, that was the last straw.
Definition
= the final thing that causes sth to collapse or sb to lose their temper/get angry |
be
up in the air
|
Jim’s
vacation plans were still up in the air.
Definition
= for sth to be undecided; undetermined |
not
have the faintest/foggiest idea
|
I
don’t have the faintest idea where Wollongong is.
Definition
= to not know sth at all |
the
icing on the cake
|
Paula
enjoyed the concert, and getting to meet the artist backstage after the show
was the icing on the cake.
Definition
= an additional thing that makes sth good become great |
get/jump/leap
on the bandwagon
|
Janet
doesn’t normally watch hockey but she jumped on the bandwagon because her
city’s team was in the playoffs.
Definition
= to join the crowd; to do what most other people are doing |
the
fine/small print
|
My
father reads the fine print on every contract he signs.
Definition
= the information typed in a smaller font, usually on a contract |
stuck/be
in a rut
|
The
singer was stuck in a rut. All of her recent songs sounded the same.
Definition
= to be in a situation in which you cannot make any progress |
run-of-the-mill
|
Kate
is a waitress at a run-of-the-mill bar and restaurant in London.
Definition
= typical |
face
the music
|
Tina
knew that one day her parents would see her tattoo and then she’d have to
face the music.
Definition
= to take responsibility for what you have done |
to
keep sth/somebody at bay
|
Bodyguards
kept the reporters at bay while the movie stars entered the theatre.
Definition
= to keep a threat away from coming too near |
be
up in arms
|
People
were up in arms [about/over] the government’s plan to raise the retirement
age.
Definition
= in an uproar; very angry |
bite
your tongue
|
Jack
bit his tongue while his manager criticized his performance.
Definition
= to refrain from saying sth because you don't think it would be a good idea |
leave
a lot to be desired
|
The
design of our office building leaves a lot to be desired.
Definition
= is unsatisfactory |
off
the beaten track
|
Mike
and Mary had dinner a quiet restaurant off the beaten track in Paris.
Definition
= away from the area most people visit/go |
pick
sb’s brains
|
Mike
is a marketing genius. People often invite him to lunch or dinner so they can
pick his brains.
Definition
= to ask someone many questions so you can learn from him/her |
whet
your appetite
|
The
30-second trailer was designed to whet people’s appetites.
Definition
= to make people want more; to stimulate your appetite so you desire more |
sour
grapes
|
A:
People with nice cars just want attention.
B:
That sounds like sour grapes because you can’t afford one.
Definition
= expression that means something was said out of jealousy |
a
blessing in disguise
|
Losing
his job turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Afterward, Roger found his
dream job.
Definition
= a good thing that first appears as a bad thing |
give
sb the benefit of the doubt
|
I
told the teacher that it wasn’t me who broke the window. Thankfully, he gave
me the benefit of the doubt.
Definition
= to choose to believe sth good about sb instead of believing sth bad (when you have the choice to believe either) |
jog
sb’s memory
|
Jeff
said he couldn’t remember the song’s lyrics, but hearing the first few words
jogged his memory.
Definition
= to make sb remember sth |
foot
the bill
|
George
agreed to foot the bill for dinner.
Definition
= to pay the bill for sth |
have
it in for sb
|
A:
Why are you hiding from your brother?
B: He has it in for me. He knows I lost his football.
Definition
= to be very angry at sb |
be
in the red
|
The
company has been in the red since September.
Definition
= at a deficit; running at a loss; losing money |
get/catch
wind of sth
|
Once
the school principal caught wind of the problem, she called a teachers’
meeting.
Definition
= to learn about some news; |
a
rule of thumb
|
As
a rule of thumb, I don’t eat food that smells bad.
Definition
= a personal principle |
be
on the same wavelength
|
The
group members were all on the same wavelength, so they were able to finish
their project quickly.
Definition
= to think in a similar way to others |
up
to speed
|
After
her holiday, it took Kate a few hours to get back up to speed on the recent
developments in her company.
Definition
= to be updated; to not be behind; to have all the current information |
play
devil’s advocate
|
Although
Jim is against the death penalty, he told his friend he was for it just to
play devil’s advocate.
Definition
= to argue against sb just so you can hear your opponent's reasoning |
bend/lean
over backwards
|
Lisa
bent over backwards to get her brother a job in her company, so she was
surprised to learn he quit today.
Definition
= to make a great effort to do sth or help sb |
pass
the buck
|
The
politician passed the buck onto someone else instead of accepting
responsibility for the problem.
Definition
= to pass blame onto sb else |
call
sb’s bluff
|
When
Mike heard his friend say she knew all of the world’s capitals, he called her
bluff and asked her to name the capital of Mozambique.
Definition
= to make sb prove that what they are saying is true |
have
a chip on your shoulder
|
Tim
has had a chip on his shoulder about businesswomen since he lost his job to a
woman three years ago.
Definition
= to have anger about sth that happened in the past |
breathe
down sb’s neck
|
Jim
found it hard to focus on his work with his boss breathing down his neck.
Definition
= to watch sb very closely (often in an annoying way) |
climb
to the top of the career/corporate ladder
|
Having
children can be an obstacle for women who want to climb (to the top of) the
corporate ladder.
Definition
= to advance in a company by being promoted to the top |
red
tape
|
Mark’s
visa application was held up for six months because of red tape.
Definition
= rules and regulations that prevent you from achieving sth easily |
Give
sb free rein
|
When
his father died, Mark was given free rein to do whatever he liked with the
family business.
Definition
= to give sb full control of sth |
the
be-all-and-end-all
|
Getting
into Harvard Law School became the be-all-and-end-all of Tony’s existence.
Definition
= the only thing that matters; sth so good that it will end the search for sth better |
blow
sth out of proportion
|
The
media blew the story out of proportion.
Definition
= exaggerate sth; to make sth seem much more significant that it really is |
http://www.englishcurrent.com/idioms/esl-idioms-intermediate-advanced/