American Idioms
Idioms
Dance attendance on someoneFight like cat and dog
Beard the lionCan't carry a tune
Give someone a rocketDraw the longbow
Bob's your uncleA blank check
Break out of the moldCatch someone red-handed
Do a power of goodDraw and quarter
Give someone the messageFight / tilt at windmills
Burn someone upChew the fat
Does not add up to a can of beans/sardinesFeel / know in one's
bones
Give someone enough rope and he will hang himselfClose one's
eyes
Look/feel bushedFast and furious
For a songCome to a pretty pass
Get the elbowDog Latin
Country cousinMad as wet hen
Butter both sides of one's breadAll's fair in love and war
Cry bucketsAnswer one's calling
Get in on the actThe baby boom
Cast something in someone's teethA back number
The fat is in the fireFeel the pinch
Give no quarterBear fruit
To enter the listsA bird of a different feather
A closed bookA blind alley
Dance attendance on someone
It used to be the custom for a bride at her wedding to dance
with every guest - no matter how tired she was. That's the origin
of this expression, but it now meansto be at the service of
someoneto carry out his or her every wish. "I suspect that Ray is
interested in Fiona. Look how he isdancing attendance on her.
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Beard the lion ( in his den )
In this British idiom, 'beard' means to defy or oppose someone,
and 'in his den' means in his territory. Therefore, tobeard the
lion ( in his den )is toconfront a person of authority ( in his own
office, for example )and to challenge him. "I'm going to walk right
into the boss's office and beard the lion by demanding a nice big
raise," Alex said.
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Give someone a rocket
Oh, oh ! The boss is about togive Edna a rocket- and if you ask
me I really think she deserves it ! That's because this British
idiom means togive someone a severe scolding or a reprimand. "You
know it's amazing how much better Edna performs at her job since I
gave her a rocket yesterday morning," the boss smiled.
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( and ) Bob's your uncle
No one knows why Bob is the name of the uncle in this
expression, but that needn't concern us as long as we remember
that( and ) Bob's your unclemeans thateverything is satisfactory or
will work out well. "I will put a little more ice cream on the top
of this, and Bob's your uncle ! This should make a real nice treat
for you," the ice cream man smiled at Teddy.
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Break out of the mold
Have you ever had a desire to break old habits and change your
way of living ? If so, you would understand this expression
becausebreak out of the molddescribesdoing something completely
different or changing one's way of doing things. "Why don't we
break out of the mold and go somewhere new on our holiday this
year," Steven said.
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Do a power of good
"For goodness sake, Mr Blogs ! Don't be so stingy. A small coin
to that poor little fellow won't hurt you," Bessy frowned. "It
would do him a power of good for he looks hungry !"To do a power of
goodmeansto help or to do a lot of good. "It might even do you a
power of good to be generous to people now and then," Bessy
said.
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Give someone the message
Jerome has had a nice warm feeling for Ruth for a long, long
time. Being modest, he didn't know how to give her the message.
Finally, on Valentine's Day he gathered up all his courage and gave
her the word. When wegive someone the message or the wordweconvey a
piece of information to him or her. Ruth gave Jerome the message by
giving him a think you kiss !
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Burn someone up
"Doesn't it burn you up when people refuse to wait in line at
the bus stop !" Barbara said. "It sureburns me up!" Barbara is
saying she isirritated or annoyed. "I get burned up by people who
don't do their work properly," Jack answered. "My secretary, for
instance, burns me up because she's always knitting on the job
!"
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Does not add up to a can of beans / sardines
I guess it didn't cost much money to buy a can of beans or
sardines when this North American idiom was first used. What it
means is that someone'splan, theory, idea, opinion, etc is thought
to be of little value. In fact, it's worthless. "That's an
interesting idea, Frank, but I'm sure the boss will tell you that
itdoesn't add up to a can of beans. In fact, itdoes not add up to a
can of sardinesto me either," he frowned.
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Give someone enough rope and he will hang himself
Ifa person who is doing something wrong is allowed to continue
his bad ways, it is said he will soon bring about his or her own
defeat or destruction. That's the meaning behind this idiom. "I
told you not to cheat or tell lies," Officer Mutt said. " Don't you
remember hearing me say,give Willy enough rope and he will hang
himself?"
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Look / feel bushed
"Oh, you poor, poor man ! You look absolutely bushed !" Mrs.
Bond said when her husband returned from work. "I've had a bad
day," he answered, "and you're right ! I feel bushed." "What you
need is a nice cool glass of lemonade," Mrs. Bond smiled. I'll get
one for you." That should help to make Mr. Bond feel better because
tolook / feel bushedis to becompletely exhausted.
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For a song
Felix saw a pretty bird in a pet shop window. "How much is that
bird ?" he asked the man in the shop. "That would normally cost a
lot of money, but you may have itfor a song." the man replied. You
may think that Felix had to sing a song to get the bird, but that's
not true. The idiom for a song simply meansfor very little money.
"I bought my bird for a song," Felix said later.
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Get the elbow
Craig has been working for the Ga-Ga Company for about six
years. Imagine his shock when he went to work yesterday and found
he had got the elbow !To get the elbowisto be fired- though in a
personal relationship the same expression can meanthe relationship
has ended. "Have you heard Lily got the elbow from her boyfriend
!"
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Country cousin
"I am taking Ashley, mycountry cousin, to the theater today,"
Teddy explained. Ashley isn't really Teddy's cousin though : we
just use this expression when referring topeople who live in small
country townsorwho actually live on farms in the country. They are
called country cousins because it is thought that their manners and
habits are simple and uncomplicated. "That's not always true,"
Ashley smiled.
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Butter both sides of one's bread
"I have a great idea," Frank said, "I can butter both sides of
my bread during my summer vacation if I offer swimming lessons to
young people. In that way I can have fun at the swimming pool, and
at the same time I will earn some spending money !"To butter both
sides of one's breadisto do two things at the same time - and to
profit from them both.
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Cry bucket
If this isn't a sad sight ! There is Grandma watching her
favorite afternoon television drama - and it is so sad that
everyone in the room is crying buckets ! "Tocry bucketsmeans tocry
lots and lots of tears," Grandma explained. "Grandma is crying
buckets, and that has caused me to cry buckets too," Grandma's cat
wept.
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Get in on the act
Professor Alan is having trouble. Everyone in the auditorium
seems to begetting in on the acttoday ! This idiom ( it's a term
from the theater ) refers totaking part in something while others
are doing it. "I can tell that everyone enjoyed my lecture today,"
Professor Alan said, "because so many people wanted to get in on my
act," he smiled.
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Cast something in someone's teeth
Otto is furious ! His dentist keeps casting his bill in Otto's
teeth. "I won't pay it !" Otto cried. "It's far too much - and
besides, the dammed teeth don't even fit properly ! I'd like to
fling them back in his teeth !" Tocast / fling / throw something in
someone's teethis tocontinually remind someone of something
disagreeable or unpleasant. "If I made a mistake, I'll correct it.
But please don't fling my error in my teeth," the dentist
pleaded.
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The fat is in the fire
Putting fat near an open flame is dangerous for it can easily
ignite and cause a serious fire. That's the idea behind this
idioms, which refers tothe start of something troublesome or
dangerous. "Someone has stolen our food supply !" Max cried. "The
fat is in the fireunless we can get back to our camp before it
starts to snow !"
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Give no quarter
In this idioms the word 'quarter' refers to mercy or
understanding. Therefore, togive no quarteris tobe firm and show no
mercy. "You have made me very, very angry," Billy's mother said.
"If you don't return that piece of cake this instant I will give no
quarter and you will be severely punished !" That convinced Billy,
and he returned the cake.
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To enter the lists
In days of old when knights were bold, the arenas in which they
held tournaments were called lists. From that,to enter the
listsmeansto begin a competition, a contest - or an argument!
"Unless you are prepared to enter the lists and play as well as you
can, you have no business being on this team," the football coach
said to his players.
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A closed book
"I am supposed to know just about everything," Professor Olson
said, "so I can't let anyone know that I have just come across
something that is a closed book to me." As it is used here,a closed
bookis something -a topic, a subject, an idea - you don't know
anything about. "But I have to confess that physics is a closed
book to me," the Professor said with a huge sigh.
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Fight like cat(s) and dog(s)
Since the beginning of time, cats and dogs have been natural
enemies, and when they meet they usuallyget involved in fierce
fights. From that, when people argue or fight bitterly they are
said tofight like cats and dogsor fight like cat and dog. "If we
invite the Smiths to our party, we can't invite the Waltons. I
don't know why, but they fight like cats and dogs.
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Can't carry a tune
Most people have no problem singing, humming, or whistling a
tune. But Ozzie is different. He isn't able to distinguish one note
of music from the other. "It's lucky I wasn't born a canary," Ozzie
said, "because I really can't carry a tune." Those whocan't carry a
tunecannot sing, hum or whistle properly. "Theymake mistakes and
sound terrible," Ozzie added.
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Draw the longbow
"I have played my violin in Paris in front of thousands of
people," Buddy smiled. Personally, I think Buddy is drawing the
longbow. Todraw the longbowmeans tomake an exaggerated remarkor
totell an elaborate story in order to impress someone. A longbow is
a large bow used to shoot arrows great distances. This is a British
expression.
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A blank check
It must be a great feeling to receive a blank check. "I gota
blank checkfrom my father to buy any car I wanted," Harry said.
See, I told you it's a good feeling to get a blank check !
Actually, the idiom meansto be given complete freedom to do
whatever you want. Here's another example : "Our teacher gave us a
blank check to work on any project we desired."
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Catch someone red-handed
"Ah ha, so you're the one who has been painting pictures on my
blackboard !" Professor Michael exclaimed. "At last I have caught
you red-handed !" Tocatch someone red-handedis todiscover him or
her in the process of committing a naughty or forbidden act. "I'm
sorry, I thought a little color would help to brighten up our
classroom," Danny pleaded.
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Draw and quarter
It was once common to execute criminals by having their four
limbs drawn ( pulled ) off. Thank heavens criminals are not drawn
and quartered any more, though we still use this idiom ( humorously
) tothreaten a person! "My wife said she woulddraw and quarterme if
I came home late again," Ken said. "I hope she doesn't mean it
!"
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Fight / tilt at windmills
"Ha, there you are again making threatening gestures at me !"
Aaron cried. "I'll show you that you are not fighting windmills !"
Tofight or tilt at windmillsis from the novelDon Quixote de la
Manchain which the hero attacks windmills thinking they are giants.
The idiom means tostruggle against an imaginary opponentor tooppose
things that are not important.
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Chew the fat
After a hard day, Nani and his friend like nothing better than
to sit around a nice warm fire chewing the fat. "Normally we are so
busy hunting and fishing that we don't have much time to get
together to chew the fat," Nani noted. Tochew the fatis tohave a
casual chatora nice little talk. "Our wives have just gone to one
of their friend's igloo to chew the fat," Nani smiled.
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Feel / know in one's bones
"Ifeel in my bonessomeone is watching us," Angela whispered. "I
know in my bones you are right !" John answered. John and Angela
are saying that though they do not have absolute proof of
something, theyfeel or believe it by instinct. "I know in my bones
my mother would be upset if I did not hurry home after school,"
Angela said.
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Close one's eyes
When wedeliberately ignore somethingwe don't wish to admit it is
there -- usually because it isn't approved of or because we don't
approve of it --we close our eyesto it. "I sometimes think the
authorities close their eyes to the indecent way people dress in
the streets.
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Fast and furious
Albert was strolling along outside the prison gate when Officer
Derek caught him. A struggle raged fast and furious, but in the end
Albert was safely back inside. "If I had been quicker, Derek would
not have caught me." Albert sulked. "But I learned something," he
said. "I learned thatfast and furiousdescribesan activity that is
full of noise and excitement!"
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Come to a pretty pass
'Pretty' in this expression means terrible and 'pass' refers to
a distressing situation. Therefore,a pretty passisa bad condition
or an annoying state of affairs. "It has come to a pretty pass when
a gentleman can't look at an attractive young lady without ending
up in a hospital bed !" Andy complained as he was rescued from a
hole in the street.
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Dog Latin / English / Chinese, etc
"Dogs are friends of the whole human race," Fido barked in
rather bad Latin. "A role in which I played a significant part,"
Scotty added. Fido and Scotty are conversing in dog Latin. Tospeak
or write dog Latin / English / Chinese, etc. is tospeak or write
bad Latin, English, Chinese, etc. In other words, not like a native
would speak or write it.
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Mad as a wet hen
Gustov is mad as a wet hen. "You are the most annoying chicken I
have ever seen ! You must stop running," he shouted. Gustov knows a
lot about chickens because he has been cooking them for many years
- and to bemad as a wet henis to bevery angry! "I would rather see
you mad as a wet hen than see me in your cooking pot !" the hen
replied.
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All's fair in love and war
In love and war the rules of proper social behavior aren't
always obeyed. From that, there are times when people justify their
selfish behavior by sayingall's fair in love and war. "It's hard to
believe there are people who think all's fair in love and war so
it's OK to cheat in an examination." Ted said.
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Answer one's calling
The "calling" in this expression is someone's profession,
particularly one he seems strongly motivated to do. This is usually
due to his special ability or exceptional desire to do it. A person
whodoes well or is successfulin his job hasanswered his calling.
"When John grows up he'll probably answer his calling and become a
leader of men."
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The baby boom
A boom is the rapid expansion or sudden numerical growth of
something. since our topic here is babies,a/the baby boomrefers
tosudden increase in the birth rate. "The universities are filled
to capacity due to the baby boom that followed the war." "We've had
a baby boom and our hospital is becoming overcrowded," Dr Gabriello
said.
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A back number
An outdated newspaperor periodical isa back number. "I'm
researching back number newspapers for an article I'm writing." the
reporter said. A person isa back numberwhen he haslost his
influenceor histhinking is considered old-fashioned. "No one seeks
my opinion anymore," Neil sighed. "I feel like a back number in
this office."
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Feel the pinch
It hurts to be pinched. It also hurts to be without money. I
guess that's why be pinched is a colloquialism for having little or
no money, and tofeel the pinchis toexperience hardshipbecause of a
shortage of money. "If we have a recession everyone is going to
feel the pinch," Andre said.
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Bear fruit
When trees or vines bear fruit they produce fruit.
Idiomatically,bear fruitmeans toproduce a desired effect or to
achieve a successful result. "I've studied hard. I hope my efforts
will bear fruit," Josh said. "Ha," Robert laughed. " MY work bore
fruit this morning when I sold a painting.
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A bird of a different feather
People who are different or unusualwould never object to being
calleda bird of a different featherfor this particular 'bird' is a
person who is independent and free-thinking. "Kate refuses to wear
the same fashions everyone else wears. She's a bird of different
feather who designs and makes her own clothes."
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A blind alley
An alley is a narrow street between buildings. One that is
"blind" has no exit. It is enclosed on three sides. Idiomatically,
however,a blind alleyrefers to asituation or physical activity that
leads nowhere. "I've got to change jobs. The one I have is truly a
blind alley," Ezra complained.
