English Idioms

1、introductory introductory the simple definition of english idioms : special /different meaning ,the sinew of language , reflecteg. lilys grandpa has kicked the bucket . ( kicked the bucket = died ) can everyone find a fat cat? ( fat cat = the rich )characteristicscharacteristics semantically opaque

2、function as a single unit of meaning structural invariability semantically opaquesemantically opaqueeg. metaphorical rather than literal a feather in sb.s cab ( an honor and success ) draw a blank ( to fail to discover sth. after searching hard )function as a single unit of function as a single unit

3、 of meaningmeaning complete & unique meaning eg. fly in the ointment ( a small annoyance that spoils an otherwise pleasant situation ) structural invariabilitystructural invariability form: fixed eg. lilys grandpa has kicked the bucket . kick the big bucket kick bucket kick the pail x x xsources of

4、english idiomssources of english idioms life : everyday life , agricultural life ,nautical and military life , business life to keep ones shirt on sports and entertainment activities to keep the ball rolling the bible the apple of ones eye literary works of masters to hoist with ones own petard （咎由自

5、取）（咎由自取） shangri-la ( (世外桃源）世外桃源） fables ,myths and legends to act the part of a trojan horse ( (里应外合）里应外合）classification of english idiomsphrase idiomsclause idiomssentence idioms phrase idioms(惯用短惯用短语语) verb phrase idioms noun phrase idioms adjective phrase idioms prepositional phrase idioms adver

6、bial phase idiomsverb phrase idiomsa v + an adv look up , put asidea v + a prep make for, get through a v + an adv+ a prep do away with phrasal verbs(动词词组动词词组) noun compoundsnoun compounds(名词复合字) a gang of thieves did a break-in last night. the pilot made a smooth take-off.n 闯入闯入n 起飞起飞noun phrase id

7、iomsdeterminer限定词限定词adjectivenounprep. phraseatheathehardlamelast/finallightredcashduckstrawrelieftapeboltsaltfrom the skyof the earthfunctionsas the direct object of a clause(直宾直宾) he hated red tape(繁文缛节繁文缛节)as the complement of a clause（补语）（补语）as the object of a preposition（介词宾语）（介词宾语） i dont have

8、 that much money on me not in hard cash (现金现金)anywayadjective phrase idiomsadv. modifier （修饰语）（修饰语）adjective prep. phrase/ infinitive/clauseall allasas(almost)(very)(very)setsquarecrossbroadbareeasyfull （for sth. /to so sth） (with sb.)as a bear with a sore head as its long of sth on the eye of beans

9、 as complement of a clause eg. i have just returned his loan, so im all square with him at last.prepositional phrase idiomsprepobjectofprepdetadj.nounaboveatinininonunderonestheaonesthataoneseleventhshoeownstationhourwordcupscasestringsteam(a) as an adjunct modifying a verb(动词修饰语) eg. i cant help yo

10、u, so youll have to do the same job under your own steam (b) as a complement(c) as a complement or adjunct hes getting above his station(d) as a disjunct（插入语）(e) as a connecting phrase eg. you had better make it yourself in that case.adverbial phase idiomsadv. modifieradverbprep.phrase/ clauseall to

11、oaseverherebrieflystraightso farbelowasfrom itan arrow as adjuncts modifying verbs eg. the bullet flew as straight as an arrow towards the bird.sub-grouping of phrase (a) flesh and blood (n + n) (b) free and easy (adj +adj) (c) toss and turn (v +v) (d) far and wide (adv +adv)thetwocommonestpatternsn

12、+ n phrases1. as complement2. as prepositional object（介词宾语）（介词宾语） 3. as attribute（定语）（定语）4. as adjunct（修饰语）（修饰语） eg. they had a bad quarrel and next day he left, bag and baggageadj+ adj phraseas the complement of a verb eg. lucy is a free and easy （无拘（无拘 无束的）无束的）person.as an adjunct eg. we won the g

13、ame fair and square（光明正大地）（光明正大地）.clause idioms and sentence idiomsclause idioms sentence idioms1.verb +complement pattern 2.verb +direct object pattern3.verb + direct object + complement pattern4.verb +indirect object +direct object pattern5.verb +direct object +adjunct pattern1.proverbs 2.typical

14、conversational expressionsclause idioms1.verb +complement patterna). adjective phrase goerge would get even with the gang .乔治会报复这伙人的b).noun phrasemy uncle came a cropper when his horse refused to jump the last fence.当马拒绝跳过最后一个栅栏的时候，我的叔叔猛摔了一跤。2.verb +direct object patternbob hit the hay soon after su

15、pper.bob 在晚饭后不久就睡了clause idiomsa). adjective phrasethe police caught john red-handed .警察将约翰当场拿下。b). noun phasehe has made his friends a nothing stock.他做了他朋友们的笑柄。the company has sold you a real pup.那个公司欺骗了你。i cannot make bricks without straw.我无法做无米之炊。3.verb + direct object + complement pattern4.verb

16、+indirect object +direct object pattern5.verb +direct object +adjunct patternsentence idioms1.proverbs： owing to the bible, to shakespeare and to other great writers of the past .style: concise wittydont count your chickens before they are hatched.do not believe or expect that success,victory,etc. i

17、scertain untill it actually happens.不要过早乐观。sentence idioms2.typical conversational expressions some of those habitual expressions may have an irregularor even a grammatically non-standard structure .friday week friday a week after next friday. 下周五dear me ! an expression of distress，disappointment, w

18、orried, surprise,etc. syntactic function of phrase idioms1) a gift of gab-object of verb or preposition :he is remarkable with a gift of gab.:he has such a gift of gab.2)red tape can be used as subject, object, complement. prepositional phrase idiom usage toms broken leg is on the mend he hit the ba

19、ll on the nose transformation restrictions(1)change in word ordereg.1)the electricity went off.- off went the electricity. special case: ill ring up alice some time during the week. x up ill ring alice some time during the week.(2) alteration from active form to a passive form(verb phrases) special

20、case: feel for ,fall into etc.its easy to feel for people in need.not: people in need to be felt for is easy.clause idioms the company sold you a real pup.you were sold a real pup there.-not: a real pup has been sold you. some clause idioms may be made passive with a meaning quite different from wha

21、t it had in the active form. eg. joe hit the sack= joe went to sleep the sack was hit by joe= joe struck the sackcollocative restrictionsexample : do away withhabitual subject: government, ministry, board etc.object: restriction, rule, tax, penalty1.a bolt from the blue:be , seem like, come like/as2

22、.all set:(adjunct)be, feel, get, look, seem,its adjunct：to go, to leave, for a fine old time, to sign a document etc.structual variabilitystylistic featuresstructual variabilitydesipite the structual stability of idioms,sometimes idioms could do some slight changes.a:writers give a new twist to an o

23、ld saying for rhetorical effects. a horse of the same colour. shakespeare a horse of another colour a horse of another colour he is every other inch a gentleman.rebecca every inch a gentlemanevery inch a gentlemanb: the replacement of synonyms come into blossom flower make a bolt dash for take pains

24、 trouble over besides nouns, adjectives, prepositions, adverbs and articles of certain idiomatic expressions can be replaced in the same way. put on a bold/brave/good face on break fresh/new ground have a soft/weak spot for take sth.seriously/hard/lightly c:insertion of words many idioms do permit f

25、ree insertion of adverbs, adjectives, and intensifiers.be well off be very/fairly well offbear ones cross bear a terrible/heavy crosstake pains take great/endless painsd: deletion of words at the outs at outs pull the wires pull wires talk (cold) turkey talk turkeyeverything has two sides. the english idioms have structual stabilty and structual variability. sometimes slight changes will be better.stylistic featuresa: most idioms are stylistically neutral or formal, but quite a number of them belong to informal spoken english.to churn out with the implication t