Universidad Nacional

Chorotega’s Head Office

Campus Liberia

American Idioms

Professor

Msc. Karol Cubero

Students:

Marisol Milanés Matamoros 270454

Randall Alvarado Navarro 260300-5

I Semester, 2008

A

A bad apple: A (morally) bad person who makes a

whole group bad, a bad apple is someone who has a bad

effect on a whole group or system.

Example: The corruption in the government started with a

bad apple, a high official two years ago. Now the whole

system is corrupt.

All Thumbs: clumsy and awkward.

Example: I guess I am all thumbs because I’m so

nervous.

A Basket Case: To get mad.

Example: Fernando is a basket case.

As Busy as a Bee: very busy.

Example: I’ve been as busy as a bee all

morning.

A Heart of Gold: Someone who is very

important and special.

Example: My mother has a big heart of gold.

A Little Bird Told Me: said when someone has told

you a secret, but you don’t want to say who.

Example: A little bird told me that Sue got married.

A Lone Wolf: someone who does not mix socially

with other people.

Example: Andrew doesn’t like the parties; he is a

really lone wolf.

A Piece of Cake: Very easy.

GOLD

Example: This homework is a piece of cake.

A Screw Loose: To get mad.

Example: Johanna has got a screw loose with the

English group.

B

Back-seat Driver: Someone who tell you what are

you doing wrong and like to tell you how you must

drive.

Example: I hate having Lisa in my car. She always

tells me what I’m doing wrong; oh my God! She is a

real back – seat driver.

Backfire: to produce an unexpected / undesired /

opposite result. If your plan or action backfires, you

get the opposite result to the one you wanted.

Example: The new stricter school policy may backfire

and do more harm to the students than good.

Be Barking up the Wrong Tree: To

misunderstand a situation and complain to a wrong

person or blame a wrong thing.

Example: Don't blame me. I have nothing to do with it.

You are barking up the wrong tree.

Be broke: Without money. If you are broke, you

don't have money.

Example: "Do you want to go to the movies tonight?" "I

can't go. I'm broke. Tomorrow is payday."

Be off Someone’s Rocker: To be mad.

Example: Bryan is always off his rocker.

Be on the Right / Wrong Track: Thinking or

acting rightly or wrongly.

Example: I think the government is on the wrong

track.

Break Someone’s Heart: To make someone very

sad (often someone who loves you)

Example: it breaks my heart to see the refuses

on the news

C

Can of Worms: Something is very complicated and

unfair and it could raise huge problems.

Example: To discuss about the some professor’s

attitudes is a real can of worms.

Cast pearls before swine: Offer or show

something valuable, good, or beautiful to someone

who does not understand its value.

Example: -Don't bother explaining Shakespeare to

Bob. It would be like casting pearls before swine.

Cat Got Someone’s Tongue? Can’t talk.

Example: What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?

Chicken (Be): Coward.

Example: "Why won't you dive in? Are you chicken?

Child’s Play: Very easy.

Example: The grammar test was a child’s play.

Cold feet (have / get): Suddenly become (be)

very nervous about doing something that you were

going to do.

Example: It's normal for young people to have cold

feet before their wedding.

Cold turkey (Quit): Quit a bad habit such as

smoking or drinking alcohol suddenly, without any

gradual adjustment.

Example: Tom was a heavy drinker for more than 15

years; then he quit drinking cold turkey. He's never

drunk again since then.

Curiosity killed the cat: If you are too interested in

things you should not be interested in, you could be

in danger. You may be causing yourself problems by

trying to find out things you don't need to know.

Example: "You'd better not," warns Steve, "Curiosity

killed the cat, you know. It might be very dangerous.

Let's just go home instead."

D

Don't cross your bridges before you come to

them: You use this proverb to tell someone not to

worry about something until it actually happens.

Example:

A: Our proposal is ready, but what if

the committee doesn't accept it?

B: Don't cross your bridges before you

come to them. We will see what

happens then.

Don’t Make Someone’s Laugh: To think

something is unlikely.

Example: Please don’t make laugh! You think I

believe you that you will be a model.

Don’t Put all your Eggs in one Basket: It is not a

good idea to put all your efforts or all your money

into one project.

Example: I know you really want to go to buy a new car,

but don't put all your eggs into one basket. Apply to a

few other colleges too.

Down in the dumps (Be): Be very sad and

depressed.

Example: Mary has been down in the dumps since

her mother's death.

Drive Someone Up the Wall: 1. Annoy or irritate

someone very much. 2. Put someone into an

extreme position or situation. (force someone up the

wall)

Example: The heat in this apartment drives me up the

wall!

E

The early bird catches the worm: This proverb is

used to tell you to act early or right now to be

successful.

Example: The early bird catches the worm! Don't miss

this year's best deal! The sale will start on Thursday,

and the store opens at 5:00 a.m.

Easy as pie / as easy as pie: Very easy. If

something is (as) easy as pie, it is very easy to do.

Example: -Baking great bread is as easy as pie with

this brand-new breadmaker.

Eat one's words: Admit that what you said was

wrong. If you eat your words, you admit that the

statements or predictions you made were wrong.

Example: I taught a grammar rule in my ESL class,

and one of my students said I was wrong. After I

checked it in dictionaries and asked other teachers, I

found she was right. I had to eat my words in the next

class

.Eat out: Eat a meal in a restaurant. If you eat out,

you go out and eat a meal in a restaurant instead of

eating at home.

Example:-I don't want to cook tonight. Why don't we

eat out?

F

Face the Music: To accept criticism or punishment

for what you have done.

Example: So now we are all going to have to face

the music.

Face to Face: With another person in the presence

rather than, say, by phone or letter.

Example: You should really discuss this with her face

to face.

Fall of the perch: To die.

Example: My doggy fell of its perch last month.

Feel on Top of the World: Very happy.

Example: I feel on top of the world today. I’ve just

passed all my exams.

Floating on air (be): be very happy about

something good that has happened.

Example: Andrew is floating on air since Christina

and he started going out together.

G

Get Green fingers: Somebody is a good gardener.

Example: My mother’s got green fingers. Everything

she plants in the garden grows well.

Get off Someone’s Back: Bother someone.

Example: Get off my back! I can’t go anywhere!

Give someone a hand: Help someone when

he/she is doing something difficult.

Example: Let me give you a hand with your baggage.

Go Around Circle: Someone who does not accomplish anything.

Example: Rachel’s brother goes around in circles with his career."

Glue to: Cannot stop watching / looking at

something.

Example: We were glued to the television watching

the news about the accident.

H

Hang in the Balance: No one know what will

happen to it in the future.

Example: Andrea had been taken ill and her life was

hanging in the balance.

Have an Egg on Someone’s Face: To be left

feeling stupid or embarrassed because of something

you did.

Example: You’ll have egg on your face if your plan

doesn’t work!

Have a Narrow Escape: Just manage to avoid

danger or trouble.

Example: The crew had a narrow escape when the

pilot made a crash landing.

Have Butterflies in Someone’s Stomach: To

feel very nervous.

Example: I always have butterflies in my stomach

when Jenny is near to me.

Have Itchy Feet: Want to travel or move on.

Example: I can’t stay in one place for more than a

year without getting itchy feet.

Have Something in the Brain: Can’t stop thinking

or talking about a particular thing.

Example: I have the Professor David’s project in my

brain.

Hold the Baby: Others have left someone to deal

with a problem alone.

Example: I’ve been left holding the baby.

Hold your Tongue: Do not say anything without

permission.

Example: I told you to stop interrupting, hold your

tongue.

Horse Around: Play around.

Example: After the couch left the gym he decided to

stay and horse around on the parallel bars.

How Time Flies: You are surprised to see minutes,

hours, days, weeks, or years have passed very

quickly

Example: A: Haven't we met each other for such a

long time?

B: Yes, it's been 10 years since we met last time.

How time flies!

I

In the Doghouse: To be in trouble.

Example: Marlon is in the doghouse with his mom.

It’s a Small World: Meeting someone

unexpectedly or discovering mutual friend.

Example: We bumped into John’s teacher in Venice.

It’s a small world!

It’s for the Birds: Something that is not interesting

for you.

Example: We are taking a philosophy course but it’s

for the birds.

It’s No Good Tearing over Spilt Milk: There’s no

point in getting upset over something bad that’s

happened when you cannot change it.

Example: You've broken the vase now! There's no

use crying over spilt milk. We will buy a new one.

It’s Not the End of the World: What has

happened won’t cause any serious problems.

Example: It’s not the end of the world if you fail a

course.

J

Jog someone’s Memory: To make you remember

something.

Example: The police are reconstructing the crime to

try to jog the memory of possible witnesses.

Judge by Appearance: To have an opinion about

something / someone just for the appearance.

Example: A: I think she likes to be showing off. But I

don’t know her.

B: Come on! You are judging by her appearance.

Jump for Joy: To be very happy and excited about

something that has happened.

Example: Marissa jumped for joy when Charlie

kisses her.

Just Someone Luck: It is said usually humorously

to mean that someone is always unlucky.

Example: You are playing against the best player. It

just your luck.

K

Keep Your Fingers Crossed: To wish someone

good luck.

Example: I’m getting my exam results tomorrow. Keep

your fingers crossed for me.

Kick the Bucket: To die.

Example: Marlen kicked the bucket last night.

Kill time: Do something that is not very useful to

keeps yourself busy while you are waiting for

something to happen.

Example: Ryan sometimes goes to the bookstore to kill

time between classes.

Kill Two Birds with One Stone: Produce two

useful results by just doing one action.

Example: I killed two birds with one stone with this

project.

L

Law of the Jungle (the): To obtain whatever

someone’s wants without caring how much other

people would suffer.

Example: Everyone is so selfish in this company; it is

the law of the jungle here and it’s very depressing.

Let the Cat out the Bag: Inform beforehand.

Example: He wasn’t supposed to know it, but

someone let the cat out the bag.

Like a Fish out the Water: Uncomfortable

because you are different from other people.

Example: As the only football enthusiast in the

group, I felt like a fish out the water.

Like taking candy from a baby: To be very easy

to do. If something is like taking candy from a baby, it

is very easy to do.

Example: A: It was a very impressive video

presentation. I imagine it was very difficult to make

such a complex work.

B: No, it was very easy with this software -- like taking

candy from a baby. It took me only an hour to make it.

M

Make an Exhibition of (someone): Do things in

public that makes someone looks stupid.

Example: Sara made a real exhibition of herself in

class the other day. It was so embarrassing.

Make Love, not War: Love everybody around you.

Do not fight for stupid things.

Example: Hey guys, why are you fighting? Come on,

make love, not war!!

Makes Someone’s a Day: Makes someone feels

very happy or satisfied.

Example: When I saw how happy Nancy was with

the present we gave her, it made my day.

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: It is not easy to

earn money, so it is valuable, and you have only a

limited amount of money.

Example: A: "Mom, can I buy a new dress?"

B: "We can't afford one now. Money doesn't grow on

trees.

N

Necessity is the mother of invention: The

meaning of this proverb is that if someone really

needs something or has a problem; he/she will find a

way of doing or solving it.

Example: Throughout the history of science, a lot of

evidence has proven that necessity is the mother of

invention.

Not Have a Leg to Stand On: To have no good

defense for one’s opinions or actions.

Example: Stephanie won’t have a leg to stand on

unless she can prove that she put in all those extra

hours.

Not hold water: Not seem reasonable or correct.

Example: Their arguments against the government's

foreign policy simply don't hold water.

Nutcase (A): Someone who is mentally disturbed

and in the care of a doctor.

Example: I'm going to become a nutcase if I don't get a

holiday soon

O

On Cloud Nine: To feel very happy.

Example: I am on cloud nine with the results of my

grades.

On the Knife-Edge: In a very difficult situation and

there are worries about the future.

Example: The business is on a financial knife-edge

and my go bankrupt.

Open Someone’s Heart: Share someone deepest

feelings.

Example: Tony opened his heart to me.

Over the Moon: To be extremely happy.

Example: Jonny was over the moon when he got an

A in the math test.

P

Play it by Ear: Improve as one goes along.

Example: Let’s go to the movies, agreed? Sure. And

what’ll we do after that? Oh, I don’t know. Let’s play

it by ear.

Pop quiz: A short test that is given in class without

any warning beforehand.

Example: Mrs. Jones, an ELC teacher, is famous for

giving her students a lot of pop quizzes.

Pop someone’s Clogs: To die.

Example: Karol almost popped her clogs when she

was driving her car.

Put Someone’s Foot in: Say something tactless

and embarrassing.

Example: Luis put his foot in when he was caught

having sex in the restaurant restroom.

Play through the Nose: Play too high a price.

Example: We had to play through the nose with our

new computer.

Pull someone’s Leg: Fool someone.

Example: Fernando was pulling my leg when he told

about his new girlfriend.

Q

Quaking in someone’s boots: feel afraid, be

scared.

Example: He was so afraid of the dog that he was

quaking in his boots.

Quit this place: Leave, go away from here.

Example: I'm bored. Let's quit this place. Let's get out

of here.

Quite a few: Many.

Example: He has quite a few videos at home.

Quite frankly: Honestly; to be straightforward.

Example: Quite frankly, if it weren't for the extra

benefits, I wouldn't want to work for this company.

R

Race against the clock / time: Work or do

something very fast to finish it before a deadline

Example: They started a race against the clock to

finish the interior of the new store that was scheduled

to open in a month.

Raining Cats and Dogs: To rain very heavily.

Example: They didn't cancel the game even though it

was raining cats and dogs.

Read between the lines: Guess what someone's

real thoughts, feelings, or intentions from what you

hear or read.

Example: Linda tried to be cheerful and said she was

okay, but reading between the lines, I could see she

was really upset.

Ring A Bell: If you say something (a word or a

phrase, especially a name) rings a bell (with you),

you mean you have heard it before, or it reminds you

of something.

Example: The name "Nora" sounds familiar. It rings a

bell.

Rise with the lark: To get up/rise early in the

morning.

Example: My grandma usually rises with the lark.

S

See the Light at the End of the Tunnel:

Something makes you believe that a very difficult

and unpleasant situation is coming to an end.

Example: Jorhanny saw the light at the end of the

tunnel when his girlfriend was almost catching him

with other girl.

Shake a Leg: Hurry.

Example: Marry; you always take such a long time to

put on your makeup. Come on, shake a leg!

Stick out one’s Neck: Take a risk.

Example: Why should I stick my neck out for them?

They didn’t pay me for my services.

Something Fishy: Something is strange and

mysterious.

Example: In the university there is something fishy

with the scholarships.

Speak of the Devil: You say "Speak of the devil"

when someone you have been talking about comes

in the room unexpectedly.

Example: (They were talking about someone and he

just came in the room.) Speak of the devil! We were

just talking about you! How did you know that?

Stay up: Not go to bed at a time when most people

are in bed or when you would be normally in bed. If

you stay up, you go to bed later than usual.

Example: The students stayed up late last night to

prepare for the final exam.

Stuffed shirt: A person who behaves in a very

formal way and is often self-important. A very

conservative person.

Example: He's such a stuffed shirt. He always instructs

us how to use each knife and fork every time we go to

dinner with him.

Suffer From Sour Grapes: Being jealous about

something you can’t have.

Example: Pat is always suffering from sour grapes

because I got the role in the school play.

Sweet Tooth: Someone likes sweet things.

Example: Madge has sweet tooth. She is always

eating candies.

T

Take to something like a duck to water: To

learn how to do something very easily, quickly, and

well when doing it for the first time, especially

because of the person's natural ability.

Example: Sam is really a natural programmer. He

took to programming like a duck to water even before

he graduated from elementary school.

Tearjerker: A tearjerker is a movie, book, or story

that makes you sad and cry.

Example: That movie was really a tearjerker.

There is a Frog in Someone’s Throat: If you

have a frog in your throat, you have a sore throat, or

your throat is dry, and has difficulty speaking

because you want to cough.

Example: In a speech contest last year, suddenly

there was a frog in her throat and she had a hard time

speaking.

There's no place like home: Your home is a

special place. Nothing can replace your own home.

Example: How do you like your new apartment here?

It's nice and comfortable, but there's no place like

home. I really miss Mom's homemade bread.

Time Runs Out: It's almost too late.

Example: Time runs out to get the latest issue of The

English Teacher's Assistant covering the teaching

theme "Families."

Time will tell: Something will be clear sometime in

the future, not now, whether it is good, bad,

successful, a mistake, etc.

Example: Only time will tell whether we elected the right

person.

To hit the sack/hay: Go to bed. If you hit the sack,

you go to bed in order to get some sleep.

Example: It's getting very late. It's time to hit the sack.

Tongue in Cheek: Not Serious.

Example: I didn’t mean to offend Sonia. I was simply

making a tongue-in-cheek remark when I said that.

Tongue Tied (Get): Unable to speak. If you are

tongue-tied, you cannot speak and express yourself

easily because you are shy, nervous, or

embarrassed.

Example: He met a very beautiful woman at the party

and was tongue-tied.

U

Under pressure (Be): Live or work in a way that

causes you feel anxiety and worry.

Example: Some people perform well under pressure

and some others don't.

Under the Weather: Not very well.

Example: Mark had been feeling under the weather.

Uphill Battle / Fight / Struggle: A very difficult

task.

Example: it’s an uphill bottle trying to persuade Joe to

get a job.

Up and running: be working well.

Example: Since we got the new leader, our program

has finally been up and running.

Up in the air (Be): Be not decided yet

Example: The Company is going to build a new

factory, but the location is still up in the air.

V

Variety is the spice of life: You use this proverb

to say that if you do a lot of different things and meet

different people, etc., your life becomes more

interesting.

Example: Variety is the spice of life, and there's a lot

of it at the English Language Center. You can meet

people from many different countries, and there are a

lot of activities you can participate in.

W

Wave a Magic Wand: Find an easy way to

solve a problem.

Example: I want to wave a magic want and make

things better.

When it rains, it pours: When one thing goes

wrong, many other things also go wrong.

Example: I can't believe what happened to me last

week! My dog ate my homework, and my computer

crashed. Even worse, I got sick that night! When it

rains, it pours!

When pigs fly: Never. If you say when pigs fly, you

mean something will never happen.

Example: I’ll believe in politicians when pigs fly.

While the Cat’s Away, the Mice will Play: When

the person in authority is not there, other people will

not do what they should do.

Example: Andrea’s parents are going to the beach all

weekend, so, while the cat’s away, the mice will play.

White elephant: Something which is expensive but

useless / something which is costly to keep and has

no apparent benefit.

Example: the car is a complete white elephant; it

uses an enormous amount of petrol and breaks

down all the time. It's costing my brother a fortune.

Work Against the Clock: Work fast because the

time is limited.

Example: Jake worked against the clock to get the

report finished before the meeting.

Work like magic: Works like immediately and very

well indeed.

Example: Your plan to persuade Lela to join the

committee worked like magic.

X

X marks the spot: Begin at X, look for X, it can be

found at X.

Example: The pirate said to his crew, "X marks the

spot".

X-rated: For adults, for a mature audience.

Example: Born Loose is an x-rated video. It contains

nudity and sex.

Y

You can't judge a book by its cover: You use

this proverb to say that you can't tell what

something/someone is really like just by looking at it.

It might be different from what it looks.

Example:

A: I want to buy this car. It looks great.

B: Have a test drive with someone who knows

cars well before you decide. You can't judge a

book by its cover.

You Have to Kiss a Lot of Toads Before you

Find a Handsome Prince: You have to try over

and over again until you get the best.

Example: Marisol had to kiss a lot of toads before

finding her handsome prince.

Z

Zero in on: Give one's full attention to.

Example: We spent the morning zeroing in on the

problem of what to do with the excess space in our

office.

Zipperhead: business person, administrator.

Example: What musicians hate is to have a

zipperhead controlling the arts.

Zonked: tired, exhausted, falling asleep.

Example: After playing soccer in the park, I needed

a rest. I was zonked.