English (Subject) / Idioms (Lesson)

English Idioms in Use

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• drive somebody round the bend x
• kill two birds with one stone produce two useful results by just doing one action
• in the blink of an aye in an extremely short time
• a bone of contention something which people argue or disagree over
• as dry as a bone = extremely dry I don't think he's been watering these plants - the soil is as dry as a bone.
• rough and ready = simple but good enough rough and ready accommodation
• cool, calm and collected = relaxed, in control, not nervous James did very well in his TV appearances. He stayed cool, calm, and collected.
• to cut a long story short And—to make a long story short—I never got back the money that I lent him.If I can make a long story short, let me say that everything worked out fine.
• pass the buck Government ministers always pass the buck if they are challenged about poverty.The buck has been passed from Minister to Minister.There is too much buck-passing in goverment  nowadays.
• stop acting the fool/goat = stop acting stupidly x
• by hook or by crook = by any method possible. I decided I was going to get that job by hook or by crook.
• be at loggerheads (with sb) = to strongly disagree (with someone): The party is at loggerheads with the president over public spending.
• pay through the nose = pay too much money for something We paid through the nose to get the car fixed.
• pros and cons What are the pros and cons?
• have second thoughts without a second thought You're not having second thoughts about getting married, are you?She'll spend a hundred dollars on a dress without a second thought.
• as free as a bird = completely free to do what you want and without any worries. I felt as free as a bird.
• give a free hand (give somebody a free hand) = to allow someone to do whatever they think is necessary in a particular situation. I gave the decorater a free hand in my new flat.
• well-to-do = rich She comes from a rather well-to-do family. She's always had a comfortable life.
• out of the blue = happening suddenly and unexpectedly. also: out of a clear blue sky Then one day, completely out of the blue, I had a letter from her.
• put one's foot down (about someone or something) = to assert something strongly. The boss put her foot down and refused to accept any more changes to the plan.
• put/set the cat among the pigeons = to do or say something that causes trouble and makes a lot of people angry or worried. Her words put he cat among the pigeons.
• safe and sound = completely safe and without injury or damage. After three days lost in the mountains, all the climbers arrived home safe and sound.
• lie through your teeth = to tell someone something that you know is completely false. He asked me how old I was and, lying through my teeth, I said "29".
• let the cat out of the bag = allow a secret to be known, usually without intending to. It's a secret. Try not to let the cat out of the bag.
• feel something in your bones = believe something very strongly. I just know you’ll do well in college, I can feel it in my bones.
• pick up the bill/tab = to pay for something, often something that is not your responsibility. When we go out for dinner it's always Jack who picks up the bill.It's the taxpayer who picks up the tab for all these crazy government schemes.
• come back down to earth (with a bump) bring someone back down to earth Losing the match brought them back down to earth with a bump.
• stand one's ground = to refuse to be pushed backwards. John had a furious argument with his supervisor, but he managed to stand his ground.
• put/stick the knife in/into (sb) = to do or say something unpleasant to someone in an unkind way. The reviewer in the magazine that I read really put the knife in.
• bang or run one's head against or into a brick wall = Waste one's time in a hopeless enterprise. I have tried many times to convince him to stop smoking, but I'm beating my head against a brick wall.
• scare the living daylights out of someone = to frighten someone badly, suddenly or both. You scared the living daylights out of me by creeping up behind me like that.
• against the odds = despite being very likely to fail. Against all the odds, he recovered.
• hit sb where it hurts (most) = to do or say something to someone that will upset them as much as possible: You hit me where it hurts most by telling that...
• look a gift horse in the mouth = to be ungrateful to someone who gives you something; to treat someone who gives you a gift badly. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
• be pushing up (the) daisies = to be dead It won't affect me anyway. I'll be pushing up the daisies long before it happens.
• be on the brink/edge of doing something = to be likely to do something very soon. What we are seeing now is a country teetering on the brink of civil war.
• tie yourself up in (into) knots = make oneself confused, anxious, worried, and/or upset. We've tied ourselves in knots this past week trying to choose who to hire.
• be man enough (to do sth) = be brave enough (to do something) He was man enough to admit he had made a mistake.
• a slime ball = an unpleasant man who is friendly in a way which is not sincere I don't know what she sees in him - he's such a slime ball!
• There's no peace/rest for the wicked! = something that you say which means you must continue an activity although you might like to stop. I can't talk - I've got to finish this essay. There's no rest for the wicked.
• from/since time immemorial = for longer than anyone can remember. Her family had farmed that land from time immemorial.
• an apple a day keeps the doctor away = eating an apple each day can help to keep you healthy. Have an apple for a snack, instead of those chips. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, after all.
• stuff/feed your face = to eat a lot, eat greedily, overeat. She won't lose any weight if she keeps stuffing her face like that.
• give sb a pause for thought = to make someone think carefully about something. I hope that what I have said will give you a pause for thought.
• under the weather = not very well Mark had been feeling under the weather.
• looking like death warmed up = looking extremely ill One day he came into work looking like death warmed up.
• recharge sb's batteries = do smth to gain fresh energy and enthusiasm. Go away for a few days to recharge your batteries.
• off-colour = unwell, slightly ill he no longer felt off-colour.I'm feeling a bit off-colour today.
• on the road to recovery = getting better The doctors say she's on the road to recovery.
• on the mend = becoming healthy after an illness. She's still in the hospital, but she's definitely on the mend.

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