Idioms

English as a Second Language Playground
1

Hello,

After the horse idioms about the horse. Used for riding, pulling carriages etc.
horse= large animal with four legs
-He mounted his horse and rode off.
-a horse and cart
"If that dog named Rover won’t bark,
Mama’s going to buy you a horse and cart.
youtube.com/watch?v=sjllo6FA … re=related
[b]the horses /b = horse racing
mane= long thick hair on its neck of a horse or a lion
hoof, (pl) hoofs or hooves = the hard part of some animals
tail=the part that sticks out and can be moved at the back of the body of a bird, an animal or a fish.
-The dog ran up and wagging its tail.
I wore my hair in ponytail.
As a child I used to have my hair in pigtails.
When a coin is tossed to decide sth we say:l
Heads or tails
heads:the side of a coin a picture that has a picture of the head of a person
tail: the side of a coin that does not have a picture of the head of a person.
Idioms:
on the hoof
1.meat that is sold, transported on the hoof
2.(inf)if you do sth on the hoof you do it quickly and without giving it full attention because you are doing
-I often have lunch on the hoof between two appointments.
-the consequences of making government policy on the hoof

Verb:horse sth (inf)
to kick a ball very hard or a long way
Idiom:
hoof it(inf)= to do somewhere on foot;to walk somewhere ( in Hungarian we say:kutyagol kutya = dog)
We hoofed it all the way to 42nd Street.

2

Horse idioms (from Hungarian magazine :5 perc angol)
1.one-horse race
This competition has been a one-horse race right from the start
2.dark horse
It’s difficult to predict who will win the prize—there are two or three dark horses in the tournament.
3.one horse town
I don’t want to spend a whole week in that one-horse town!
4. to put the cart before the horse
You’re eating your dessert first! You’ve put the cart before the horse.
5.Hold your horses!
“Hold your horses! Grab an umbrella before you walk out into the rain!”
6.I could eat a horse!
I am so hungry I could eat a horse!
7.flogging a dead horse
John is determined to leave his job, talking to him is like flogging a dead horse, he just won’t listen.
8.Trojan horse
Dave was a Trojan horse. He was working against the company and giving information to their competitors
9.to back the wrong horse
We backed the wrong horse in the election and our candidate lost badly
10. to get off your high horse
It’s about time that you got down off your high horse.
11.u from the horse’s mouth[/u]
I know it’s true! I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth!

kati Svaby

3

Idioms with picture:

  1. a picture paints a thousand words
    I could try to describe it for you, but it would be easier to draw it, since a picture paints a thousand words.

  2. be/look a picture = to look very beautiful, special
    The garden looks a picture in spring.

3. be the picture of health, guilt, misery etc.(inf) = to look extremely healthy, guilty, unhappy etc.

  1. get the picture (inf) = to understand the situation,especially one that sb is describing to you.
    ‘I pretended that I hadn’t heard.’ ’ I get the picture.’

5.in/out of picture (inf) = involved/ not involved in a situation.
-Morris is likely to win, with Jones out of the picture now.

6.[b]put/keep sb in the picture /b= to give sb information they need in order to understand the situation.

  1. [b]the big picture /b(AmE) = the situation as a whole
    -Right now forget the details and take a look at the big picture.

  2. paint a (grim, gloomy,rosy etc.) picture of sb/sth = to describe sth in a particular way; to gave a particular impression of sb/ sth.
    -The report paints a vivid picture of life in the city.
    -Journalists paint a grim picture of conditions in the camps.

9.as pretty as a picture (old fashioned) = very pretty
She’s as pretty as a picture.

4

An idiom to the 1.# permalink.
To show the cloven hoof = /from the traditional representation of Satan as cloven-hoofed/ : the sign of devilish character. Somebody unable to hide true feelings and sooner or late he/she shows the cloven hoof. syn: she/he shows one’s colours.

Definition of CLOVEN HOOF from the Merriam Webster Dictionary.

1
: a foot (as of a sheep) divided into two parts at its distal extremity
2
[from the traditional representation of Satan as cloven-hoofed] : the sign of devilish character

5

HEART IDIOMS

1.break one`s heart- make very sad or hopeless
It broke my heart to see the boy fall over during the competition after he had practiced so much.

2.eat one`s heart out - grieve long and hopelessly for something, want something
-You can eat your heart out but I won’t buy you a puppy for your birthday

3[b]from the bottom of ones heart[/b]- with great feeling, sincerely My sister thanked the man from the bottom of her heart for saving her dogs life.

4.from the heart - sincerely, honestly
-The President gave a speech from the heart after the terrible earthquake.

5.get to the heart of (a matter) - understand the most important thing about something
-It took a long time but we finally got to the heart of the matter about the new employee.

6.heart goes out to - one feels very sorry for, one feels sympathy for -
My heart goes out to the victims of the hurricane that recently struck.

7.heart is in the right place - kindhearted, sympathetic or well-meaning
Although she makes a lot of mistakes her heart is in the right place.

8.heart of gold - a kind, generous or forgiving nature
My grandmother has a heart of gold and is always willing to help a stranger.

9.heart of stone - a nature without pity
The man who murdered his wife and children has a heart of stone.

10.heart skips a beat - be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw my name on the television screen.

11.heart stands still - be very frightened or worried -
My heart stood still when the truck on the highway almost hit our car.

12.[b]open ones heart [/b]- talk about ones feelings honestly, confide in someone
She suddenly opened her heart when I began talking to her on the bus.

6

Idioms with animals and the song of Old McDonald

Chick=a baby chicken. A way of referring to a young woman(offensive)
Cow idioms:
1.have a cow = to become very angry and anxious about sth
Don’t have a cow – it’s not big deal.
2.Till the cows come home (informal) = for a very long time; for ever
You can talk till the cows come home - you’ll never make me change my mind.
Pig idioms:

  1. make a pig’s ear out of sth =to do sth badly; to make a mess of sth)
    2.(buy) a pig in a poke =if you buy a pig in a poke you buy sth without seeing it or knowing if it is good enough.
    -Buying from a catalogue can mean buying a pig in a poke.
  2. pigs might fly(BrE)/when pigs fly (AmE) =(ironic) used to show that you don’t believe sth will ever happen
    ‘With a pit of luck we’ll be finished by the end of the year.’ Yes, and pig might fly.’
    GOOSE IDIOMS
    1.he is a goose = he is a silly person
  3. cook sb’s goose = to ruin sb’s chances of success,.
  4. kill the goose that lays the golden egg/eggs =to destroy sth that would make you rich, successful etc.
    MULE = an animal that has a horse and a donkey as parents used especially for carrying loads
    Mule saying: He is as stubborn as a mule.
    Ducks idioms
    Get all his/her ducks in a row =to have made all preparations needed to do sth; to be well organized
    -The company has all its ducks in row for a move into the Asian market.
    -Get your ducks in a row before you retire
    Duckling= a young duck
    Ugly duckling = is the title of a story by Hans Christian Andersen.
    Drove she ducklings to the water
    Every morning just at nine,
    Hit her foot against a splinter
    Fell into the foaming brine.
7

Lamb idioms:
like a lamb or lambs to the slaughter= Used to describe the people who are going to do sth dangerous without realizing it.
-Young men fighting in World War I simply went like lambs to the slaughter.
-Our team went on the football field like lambs to the slaughter to meet the league-leaders.
-I came to this Forum like a lamb.
Mutton dressed as a lamb=used to describe a woman who is trying look younger than she really is, especially by wearing cloths that are designed for young people.
-Do you think this skirt is too short? I don’t want to look like mutton dressed as lamb.
you/sb may/might as well be hanged/hung for a sheep as (for) a lamb=If you are going to be punished for doing sth wrong, whether it is big or small thing, you may as well do the big thing.
-Don’t do it, you may as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb.
youtube.com/watch?v=u_K9hFxS … ture=email
youtube.com/watch?v=iS4E7r7BOSw

8

WHETHER IDIOMS

brighten up the day
meaning:if someting brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long
example:The news brightened up my day.

calm before the storm
meaning: a calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm before the storm.
example:The meeting may be peaceful now, but this is only the calm before the storm.

chase rainbows
meaning:if someone chases rainbows, they try to do something that they will never achieve
example:I don’t think my parents ever believed I’d make it as an actor. I think they thought I was just chasing rainbows.

cloud nine
meaning:if you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy
example:Danny was on cloud nine after winning the marathon.

every cloud has a silver lining
meaning:people sometimes say that every cloud has a silver lining to comfort somebody who’s having problems
example:I’m sorry your business is going badly, but don’t despair. Every cloud has a silver lining.

rainy day
meaning:if you save something, especially money, for a rainy day, you save it for some possible problem or trouble in the future
example:I am saving for a rainy day.

storm in a teacup/tempest in a teapot
meaning:if someone exaggerates a problem or makes a small problem seem far greater than it really is, then they are making a storm in a teacup
example:I just can’t understand all that fuss about it. It’s just a storm in a teacup.

9

Two idioms with verb: fill

Fill sb’s shoes or boots = to do sb’s job in an acceptable when they are not there;
to take over someone else’s role or position; to take the place of some other person and do that person’s work satisfactorily. (As if you were wearing the other person’s shoes.)

Example:

  1. I don’t know how we’ll be able to do without you. No one can fill your shoes.
  2. It’ll be difficult to fill Jane’s shoes. She did her job very well.

Fill the bill( fit the bill) = to be what is needed in a particular situation or a particular purpose,fill the bill (and fit the bill) to be acceptable.

1.On paper, several of applicants fit the bill.

2.Jane: I need some string.
Tom: Here’s some twine. Will it fill the bill?

3.Megan:I need cloth to make a shirt.
Katy:This muslin ought to fit the bill.

  1. fill the bill (American & Australian)/fit the bill (British, American & Australian)
    .-The city needs a strong leader, and the new mayor just doesn’t fill the bill.
10

Hello,

island or Iceland or Ireland?

word: 1.island 2.Iceland 3.Ireland
pronunciation: /aɪˈlənd/…/aɪsˈlənd/…/aɪərˈlənd/

noun type: 1.common noun 2.proper noun 3.proper noun
meaning. 1.land surrounded by water 2.name of a country in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.name of an island to the west of Great Britain

1.The word “island” is pronounced /aɪˈlənd/, with stress on first syllable.
2.The word “Iceland” is pronounced /aɪsˈlənd/, with stress on first syllable.
3.The word “Ireland” is pronounced /aɪərˈlənd/, with stress on first syllable.

11

RELATIONSHIP IDIOMS

to dump (someone)
meaning: to end a relationship by telling someone that you do not want to see him or her
example: The woman dumped her boyfriend after she had found someone else.

to get back together
meaning: to return to a relationship or marriage after separating
example: Arnold Schwarzenegger got back together with his wife after separating for several months.

to get serious (with someone)
meaning: to become more serious with someone (used for a relationship)
example: The two students dated for several months before they began to get serious.

to have a crush (on someone)
meaning: to have strong feelings of love for someone (often for a short time and with no results)
example: Belinda has a crush on a boy in her class.

to be head over heels in love with (someone)
meaning: to be very much in love with someone, to be completely in love
example: My friend is head over heels in love with his new girlfriend.

to kiss and makeup
meaning: to become friends again after a fight or argument
example:After they have a fight my mother and father are quick to kiss and make up.

to make eyes at (someone)
meaning: to look at someone in a way that makes it clear that you like that person and find him or her attractive
example: Paul became angry when he saw that his girlfriend was making eyes at someone else at the party.

on the rocks
meaning: to be in a state of difficulty, to be having problems (usually used for a relationship)
example: The couple are experiencing many problems at the moment and their relationship appears to be on the rocks.

to pop the question
meaning: to ask someone to marry you
example: The man thought about things carefully before he actually decided to pop the question.

to be seeing (someone)
meaning: to be dating someone on a regular basis
example: Sarah was not seeing anyone when she met a man who she liked at the party.

to tie the knot
meaning: to get married
example: After dating for several years Adam and Eve decided to tie the knot. –

to walk out on (someone)
meaning:to abandon your partner and end a relationship
example: The actorwalked out on his wife and nobody knew the reason why.

12

NATIONALITY IDIOMS

An Englishman’s home is his castle.
meaning: What happens in a person’s home or private life is their business and should not be subject to outside interference.
example: An Englishman’s home is his castle. The neighbours have no right to interfere in our private lives!

Chinese whispers
meaning: the passing of information from one person to another, and then to others, when the information gets slightly changed each time
example: All this talk about the President resigning is just Chinese whispers. There’s no truth to this rumour at all.

Double Dutch
meaning: If something is double Dutch, it is completely incomprehensible; nonsense
example: This book on English grammar is written in double Dutch. I can’t understand a word.

Dutch auction
meaning: a public sale at which the price of something is gradually reduced until someone will pay it
example: My real estate agent advised me to ask a reasonable price for my house rather than get involved with a Dutch auction.

Go Dutch
meaning: If you go Dutch in a restaurant, you pay equal shares for the meal.
example: Martha said she wouldn’t let a man pay for her meal on a first date. She prefers to go Dutch.

French leave
meaning: To take French leave is to leave a gathering without saying goodbye or without permission.
example:Is Kevin ill again, or is he just taking French leave?

Pardon my French!
meaning: This idiom is used as a way of apologizing for swearing.
example: If you’ll pardon my French, I think Mary’s a *&^%!

Greek to me
meaning: If you don’t understand something, it’s all Greek to you.
example: I tried to watch a TV show about chemistry last night, but I gave up. It was all Greek to me.

Indian Summer
meaning: If there is a period of warmer weather in late autumn, it is an Indian summer.
example: Both the Italy and France have been enjoying an Indian summer over the past few weeks.

Young Turk
meaning: a young Turk is a young person who is rebellious and difficult to control in a company, team or organization
example: I was a bit of a young Turk in the past, but I’ve calmed down a lot nowadays.

Scotch mist
meaning: it is used humorously to refer to something that is hard to find or doesn’t exist - something imagined
example: It’s a kind of Scotch mist. You’ll never find any in this city.

too many chief and not enough Indians
meaning:When there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians, there are too many managers and not enough workers to work efficiently.
example: Everyone on that committee wants to be in charge. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

to walk out on (someone)
meaning:to abandon your partner and end a relationship
example: The actor walked out on his wife and nobody knew the reason why.

13

EAR, EYE, NOSE IDIOMS

able to (do something) with one’s eyes closed/shut
meaning: able to do something very easily
example: I can do this exercise with his eyes closed.

all ears
meaning: eager to hear something, very attentive
example: My husband was all ears when I started talking about our next holiday.

[b]apple of (someones) eye[/b] meaning: someone's favorite person or thing example: Arthur is the apple of his fathers eye, and his mother’s, of course :slight_smile:

as blind as a bat
meaning: blind, unable to see
example: The man is as blind as a bat! He cannot see anything.

blind leading the blind
meaning: someone who does not know how to do something himself or herself tries to explain it to another person
example: It was like the blind leading the blind when I tried to help my friend fix his car. I do not know anything about cars.

cannot see beyond the end of one’s nose
meaning: to not be able to see beyond what concerns one at the present time
example: My friend cannot see beyond the end of his nose and he has no idea about what his wife is doing behind his back.

eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
meaning: a system of punishment where you punish someone in a similar way to how they hurt you
example: Some people call for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when they learn of a terrible crime.

eyes are bigger than one`s stomach
meaning: one takes more food than one can eat
example: My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I went to the restaurant and ordered too much food.

have one’s nose in the air
meaning: to be conceited or aloof
example: The girl has her nose in the air since she won the beauty pageant.

in a pig’s eye
meaning: never
example: I will never in a pig’s eye go with you on a rollercoaster ride.

raise eyebrows
meaning: to cause surprise or disapproval, to shock people
example: It raised eyebrows when I arrived at work late this morning.

stick one’s nose into (something)
meaning: to interfere with something, to be nosey about something
example: I wish that my neighbor would stop sticking his nose into my business.

14

Many thanks.

15

Thank You Kati for the idioms. :slight_smile:

16

Hello Joe Jr.

Many thanks that you caught sight of it. There are very common idioms,I try to collect them in this thread.

17

You are welcome. He’s one of several spammers I’ve banished today.

18

What to say? I don’t envy you this job. Really this isn’t joke.

19

It’s not so bad. You only have to delete the account and all the messages go at once.

20

Are you angry with these burglars? I detest them in the same way those who cover the walls with tasteless graffiti. Is nothing scared to these people?