英文重点Idioms.doc

IdiomMeaningExample Sentencebeet reddark red (usually to describe face)My sisters face turned beet red when I caught her singing in front of a mirror.black and bluebruised and beatenWe found the poor guy black and blue near the train tracks.black and whitestraight forward, very clearThe rules we gave the kids were black and white. No answering the phone or the door.black outfaintI always black out at the sight of blood.black sheepthe odd or bad member of the groupMy oldest brother was the black sheep in our family. He dropped out of school at fifteen.born with a silver spoon in ones mouthborn into a rich familyKeiko hasnt worked a day in her life. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.catch red handedcatch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegalThe kids were caught red handed stealing chocolate bars.golden opportunitythe perfect chanceThe models conference was a golden opportunity for me to sell my beauty products.grass is always greener on the other sideyou always want what you dont haveI 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 areasomething without a clear rule or answerWriting personal email in the office is a grey area that needs to be discussed at the next meeting.the green lightpermissionThe builders were given the green light to begin the tower.green with envyvery jealousI am green with envy over Julios new wardrobe.(have a) green thumbbe skillful in the gardenYou can tell by her flower garden that Sheila has a green thumb.have the bluesbe sad or depressedI always have the the blues during the winter time.in the darkunawareAntoine left his wife in the dark about their honeymoon destination until they got to the airport.in the redin debtWhen we were in the red we almost had to sell the house.once in a blue moonvery rarelyWe only go out for dinner once in a blue moon.out of the blueunexpectedlyI got a phone call from a long lost cousin out of the blue last week.red tapeofficial or bureaucratic tasksThere is still some red tape to deal with in terms of the inheritance.red eyean airplane flight that takes off after midnightI caught the red eye so that I would see the sunrise over the mountains.roll out the red carpettreat someone like royaltyWhen relatives come to town my grandmother rolls out the red carpet.rose coloured glassesunrealistic viewPaula imagines Hollywood with rose coloured glasses.see redbe very angryI saw red when that guy grabbed my sisters purse.tickled pinkvery pleased and appreciativeMy mom was tickled pink when my father brought roses home for her.true coloursreal selfSuzanne doesnt show her true colours when we have guests over.white liean innocent lie to protect another persons feelingsWe told Grandma that her cake was delicious, which was actually a white lie.with flying colourswith distinctionI passed my road test with flying colours.Clothing IdiomsIdiomMeaningExample Sentenceat the drop of a hatwithout needing any advance noticeMy Grandma will babysit for anyone at the drop of a hat.(have a) bee in ones bonnetsomething that is annoying someoneMilan has had a bee in his bonnet all day, but he wont tell me whats wrong.below the beltbeyond what is fair or socially acceptableHis comment about Manfreds handicap was below the belt.bursting at the seamsnot fitting anymoreI ate too much. Im bursting at the seams in these jeans.caught with ones pants downunpreparedMy students caught me with my pants down on Monday. I forgot about the field trip.(have a) card up ones sleevehave a secret or reserve planI think Josh has a card up his sleeve cause he wants me to wear a dress to the fast-food restaurant.buckle downwork extra hardIts almost exam time, so I need to buckle down this weekend.burn a hole in ones pocketmoney that one is tempted to spendLets go to the mall after school. Theres a hundred dollar bill burning a hole in my pocket.dress to kill, dress to the ninesdress in nice or sexy clothesMy cousin was dressed to kill on her birthday.fit like a glovefit perfectly (tight to ones body)Anitas prom dress fits me like a glove.fine-tooth combin great detail, extremely carefullyThe police looked for fingerprints with a fine-tooth comb.fly by the seat of ones pantsdo by instinct, not by planI had never taught art to kids before. I had to fly by the seat of my pants.handle with kid glovestreat delicatelyPlease handle my grandmothers tea set with kid gloves.hand-me-downused clothingWe buy hand-me-down skates because the kids feet grow so quickly.hat trickthree goals scored by one personThe fans cheered when the hockey player got a hat trick.in ones birthday suitin the nudeThe swimmers in the lake were in their birthday suits.keep ones shirt ontry to stay calmI know youre in a hurry, but please keep your shirt on.keep something zippedkeep something a secretWe know were having a boy, but were keeping it zipped from the grandparents.off the cuffsaid without planningI didnt have a speech prepared. Everything I said was off the cuff.pull up ones sockstry harderMarco will have to pull up his socks if he wants to make the football team.put a sock in itstop talkingPut a sock in it! Im trying to tell a story.put ones thinking cap onthink hard in order to solve a problemI cant remember where the Christmas decorations are. Ill have to put my thinking cap on.put oneself in someone elses shoesimagine what it would be like to be in someone elses situationPut yourself in Ambers shoes. She doesnt even have a car to drive.ride ones coattailslet someone else do all of the workIt was a group project, but everyone rode Andrews coattails.roll up ones sleevesget down to hard workThe celebrities rolled up their sleeves and washed cars for charity.take ones hat off to someonerecognize or honour someone for somethingI take my hat off to Jim. The doctors said hed never walk, and he just ran a marathon.wear ones heart on ones sleevedisplay emotions openlyMy Dads not afraid to cry. He always wears his heart on his sleeve.wear the trousersbe in charge, make the rulesBy the looks of things, the kids wear the trousers in this household.Food IdiomsIdiomMeaningExample Sentenceapple of ones eyea person that is adored by someoneBaby Jessica is the apple of her fathers eye.(have a) bun in the ovenbe pregnantI dont think Jan will come to the bar because she has a bun in the oven.bad egga person who is often in troubleI dont want my little brother hanging around with the bad eggs on the street.big cheesevery 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 butternecessities, the main thingJust explain the bread and butter of your report. You dont have to go into details.bring home the baconearn the incomeMy husband has had to bring home the bacon ever since I broke my leg.butter someone upbe extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons)Well have to butter Angie up before we tell her the news about the broken vase.(have ones) cake and eat it toowant more than your fair share or needRick wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be single but he doesnt want me to date anyone else.carrot topperson with red or orange hairSimon is the first carrot top Ive ever gone out with.cheesysillyI love reading cheesy romance novels because I dont have to think.cool as a cucumbervery relaxedI thought I was afraid of flying, but I was cool as a cucumber all the way to England.cream of the cropthe bestWe hired the cream of the crop to entertain us at the Christmas party.(dont) cry over spilled milkget upset over something that has happened and cannot be changedThe mirror is broken and we cant fix it. Theres no need to cry over spilled milk.cup of Joecup of coffeeLets stop for a cup of Joe before we head to work.(not my) cup of teasomething you enjoy (usually used negatively)Opera isnt exactly my cup of tea.egg someone onurge someone to do somethingThe gang tried to egg us on but we didnt want to fight.freeze ones buns offbe very coldI froze my buns off at the ice rink.full of beanshave a lot of (silly) energyThe kids were full of beans after the circus.gravy trainextremely good pay for minimal workThe unionized grocers have been enjoying the gravy train for twenty years.(have something) handed to someone on a silver platterreceive without working for somethingThe professors daughter had her college diploma handed to her on a silver platter.hard nut to crackdifficult to understand (often a person)Angelo is a hard nut to crack when something is bothering him like this.hot potatoa controversial or difficult subjectChoosing a location for our new store is a hot potato right now.in a nutshellsimplyIn a nutshell, Im having a bad day.nuts about something, someonelike a lotIm nuts about classical music these days.out to lunchcrazy or madHarry has been out to lunch ever since he lost his job.one smart cookiea very intelligent personYour daughter is one smart cookie. She reads much higher than her grade level.peach fuzzsmall amount of hair growthExcept for a bit of peach fuzz, the baby came out bald.piece of cakevery easyThe exam was a piece of cake.put all of ones eggs in one basketrely on one single thingEven though Im majoring in Art, Im taking a maths course because my Dad says I shouldnt put all of my eggs in one basket.soup upmade more powerful or stylishThe car was souped up with shiny rims and a loud stereo.sell like hot cakesbought by many peopleThe new Harry Potter books sold like hot cakes.spice things upmake something more excitingI wanted to spice things up in the office, so I bought some red and gold paint.spill the beansreveal the truthOn Monday, Im going to spill the beans about my travel plans.take something with a pinch (grain) of saltdont consider something 100% accurateTake Mandys advice with a pinch of salt. She doesnt always do her research.use your noodleuse your brainYoure going to have to really use your noodle on this crossword puzzle. Its an extra difficult one.Geography and Weather IdiomsIdiomMeaningExample Sentence(on) cloud nineextremely happyAndrea was on cloud nine when she bought her new car.dig deeplook hard for informationI had to dig deep to find my old report cards.dirt cheapvery inexpensiveThe clothes at the thrift shop are dirt cheap.down to earthnatural or real (personality)Lucile is really down to earth for a woman with so much money.fair-weather frienda person who is only a friend in good timesI cant talk to Nancy about my boyfriend problems. Shes only a fair-weather friend.a field daya very enjoyable timeThe kids had a field day at the water slide park.go downhillget progressively worseMy grades started going downhill when I got a part-time job.go with the flowcontinue in the same way as othersNobody trained me at work. I just went with the flow.hit the haygo to sleepIm exhausted. I think Ill hit the hay early tonight.hit the roadleaveIts getting late. We had better hit the road.keep ones head above waterhave just enough money to liveIts hard to keep my head above water with all of these medical bills.know which way the wind blowsknow how things will turn outWho knows which way the wind will blow? I just hope Jesse gets one of the jobs hes applied for.make a mountain out of a molehillmake a small problem seem bigThe car only got a tiny dent. Youre making a mountain out of a molehill.out of the woodsclear of dangerThe doctor said my heart is doing better, but Im not out of the woods yet.over the hillpast middle ageI knew I was over the hill when I started needing glasses to read.rain on someone elses paraderuin somebody elses happinessWhenever I had a dance recital, my older brother always rained on my parade.stick-in-the-muda loner or person who wont join inThey didnt bother inviting Charles to the party because hes alway a stick-in-the-mud.(as) quick as lightningvery fastWow! Your shower was as quick as lightning.the tip of the iceberga small part of a large problemThe lost tickets were just the tip of the iceberg.take a raincheckaccept at a later dateId love to go out for dinner, but can I take a raincheck?under the weatherillI was feeling under the weather so I went back to bed.up the creekin troubleIf my Dad finds out I had a party Ill be up the creek.win by a landslidewin by a lot of pointsThe skiier in the green coat won by a landslide.(get) wind of somethingoverhear something about someone or something (often gossip)My Dad has a new girlfriend. I got wind of it over dinner tonight.Sports IdiomsSports idioms generally originate from a specific sport such as baseball or sailing. Over time these phrases have come to mean something that can be used in everyday life. While most sports idioms can still be used when discussing sports, they are even more common in other areas of life, especially the business world. You can study these idioms just as you would any other vocabulary. Look at the model sentences and practise writing your own. When you think you have mastered all of the idioms, take the quiz and test your knowledge. More importantly, try using them at work, school, and social events. You will sound like a pro!Idiomsport of originMeaningExample Sentenceacross the boardcardsequal for everyoneTen percent raises were given across the board.at this stage in the gameany sportat this timeNobody knows who is going to win the election at this stage in the game.the ball is in your courttennisits your decision or responsibility to do something nowDo you think I should accept the job offer?Dont ask me. The ball is in your court now.bark up the wrong treehuntingyouve got the wrong person or ideaI think youre barking up the wrong tree by blaming Matt for the missing money.blind-sidedany sportto not see something comingGeorge blind-sided Eric with his fist at the bar.blow the competition awayany sportwin easilyIf you wear that dress to the beauty pageant you are going to blow the competition away.call the shotsbilliardsmake the decisionsWhile our boss is on vacation, Bob will call the shots.chip ingamblinghelp by donating money or timeThe staff members chipped in 5 dollars each to buy Jody a birthday gift.down to the wirehorse racingright at the endIts coming down to the wire to get these done on time.front runnertrackone of the people who is expected to winAngela is a front runner for the new supervisor position.get a head starthorse racingstart before all othersThey gave the walkers a head start in the run for cancer.get into the full swingtennisbe comfortable doing something after some timeIt will probably take a month of working at my new job before I get into the full swing of things.get off the hookfishingescape, have responsibility removedThe child got off the hook for stealing because the security camera was broken.give something or someone a fair shakegamblingtry for a while before giving upYou should give Nadine a fair shake before you decide she isnt good enough for the job.get a second windsailinghave a burst of energy after tiringI was exhausted after 3 kilometres of running, but I got a second wind after I passed the beach.give it your best shothuntingtry your hardestGive it your best shot and you may just make it to the finals.give one a run for ones moneyhorseracingtry ones hardest to defeat another personI know the other team is expected to win, but lets give them a run for their money tonight.go overboardsailingdo or say more than you need toYou cant believe everything Janice says about Rick. She tends to go overboard when shes complaining about him.go to bat for someonebaseballdefend someoneAndy is asking for a salary increase, and Im going to go to bat for him if the boss says no.have the upper handcardshave a better chance of winning or succeedingThe Blues have the upper hand in the tournament, because none of their players is injured.hit below the beltmartial artsdo or say something that is very unfair or cruelAmanda was hitting below the belt when she called Adrian an unfit father.hit a snagboatingcome up against a problemThe renovations were going along great until we hit a snag with the carpet installation.hold all the acescardsexpected to win or succeedThe children hold all the aces when it comes to the father-son baseball tournament.the home stretchbaseballalmost the endI think Alices pregnancy is in the home stretch.hot shot (big shot)huntinga person who thinks they are the bestEven though Luke only placed 20th in the ski race, he thinks hes a hot shot.jump the guntrackstart too earlyI guess I jumped the gun by buying Pam and Steve a wedding gift. They called off the engagement.keep ones head above waterswimmingtry not to fall behind in work or other dutiesWe are so busy during the tourist season I can barely keep my head above water.learn the ropessailingunderstand new thingsThe first week on the job you will just be learning the ropes.let her ripboatinggo ah