Daily Archives: September 2, 2015

A. Behaviour to yourself and others

1. Anna often looks straight through you but I think it may be because she’s short sighted
Meaning : behaves as if you do not see someone either because you do not notice them or because you are ignoring them
2. I am sorry I am leaving you in the lurch but I’ve got to get to a meeting by 10 a.m
Meaning : leave someone at a time when they need you to stay and help them
3. The teacher will give you a rough time if you don’t finish the book
Meaning : make things difficult for someone
4. Ray’s been trying to keep a lid on his emotions, but every now and then his anger erupts.
Meaning : control the level of something in order to stop it increasing
5. Sophie used to be so elegant, but now she’s really let herself go
Meaning : either take less care of your appearance or relax completely and enjoy yourself
6. The newspapers have blown the dispute out of all proportion
Meaning : behaves as if something that has happened is much worse that it really is

B. Attitudes towards events
When we got to our holiday destination, it was a very long climb up to the cottage that we were renting. John thought nothing of it but I found it quite difficult. However, when we got to the top, the view was so beautiful that it brought a lump to my throat. We were only going to be there for two weeks, so we were determined to make the most of it. Then my mother rang to say that my grandmother had been taken ill and her life was hanging in the balance. Of course, everything else faded/paled into insignificance then and we agreed that we wouldn’t dream of staying away in those circumstances. We caught the next plane home and spent the flight trying to come to terms with the thought that she might die. However, thank goodness, when we got to the hospital, she was sitting up completely recovered and very apologetic that she had spoiled our holiday.

thought nothing of = did something that other people found difficult very easily
brought a lump to my throat = found it so moving that I wanted to cry
make the most of it = take full advantage of something because it may not last long
hanging in the balance = no one knows what will happen to it in the future
faded/paled into significance = did not seem at all important when compared to something else
wouldn’t dream of = would never do something because we think it is wrong
come to terms with = start to accept emotionally and to deal with difficult situation

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A. Here are some idioms related with praise and positive comments
In these conversations, the second speaker uses an idiom to repeat and sum up what the first speaker says.
John   : That little village was the most wonderful, beautiful place I’ve ever seen
Sam   : Yes, it really was out of this world, wasn’t it?

Nora  : Professor Ben is the best lecture I’ve ever heard
Sam   : Yes,he’s second to none, isn’t he ?

Lucy  : I am not looking forward to being group leader after John. He’s so popular and successful
Sam   : Yes, he’s a hard act to follow!

Larry : Oh, I do like our new sofa. It looks just perfect here
Sam  : Yes, it’s just made for this room, isn’t it ?

Kathy: I admire William. He defended himself very well in the face of all the criticism and made some good points against his critics too
Sam   : Yes, he gave as good as he got, didn’t he ?

Emily : I don’t think we’ll get tickets for the cup final. They’re all sold and we’d have to pay a huge sum of money to buy some on the black market
Rose : Yes, they’re like gold dust.

Mark :  Dr Zachra research is incredibly original and he has made some important new discoveries
Ted   : Yes, he’s done some really ground-breaking work.

B. Here are some idioms in term criticizing people
Read Alice’s account of some problems she had with a colleague at work. Note the idioms.

…Well,when I started working with her, at first she was all sweetness and light, but after a while she started getting/grating on my nerves, and soon began to have arguments over stupid things. If I made even a small mistake with my work, she would give me a hard time, you know, and she would poke fun at me if I smiled at or chatted with any of our colleagues. To add insult to injury, she began to cast aspersions on my honesty, and one day, when some money disappeared from someone’s handbag, she told people she thought I’d stolen it. I don’t think she was an out and out evil person, but she was certainly asking for trouble, and one day I just lost my temper and, you know, told her exactly what I thought of her and how much I disliked her. She hasn’t spoken to me since that day…

all sweetness and light = friendly and pleasant, but in a false way
getting/grating on  my nerves = irritating/annoying me
give me a hard time = make me suffer/feel guilty
poke fun at = tease/mock me ( you can also say make fun of me )
to add insult to injury = to make a bad situation even worse
cast aspersions on = criticize my character; suggest that I was not honest ( formal )
out and out = completely/totally (for negative qualities of people)
asking for trouble = doing things that were certain to result in trouble (you can also say asking for it, which is more informal )

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A. Evaluating People or Things
Parents who don’t control their children have a lot to answer for.
It means : are the main cause of the problems

That restaurant is not all it’s cracked up to be.
It means : is not as good as people it is

This computer has the edge over other models because it has such a huge hard drive
It means : is slightly better than

Her spoken English leaves a lot to be desired. 
It means : is not as good as it should be/ as we might expect

The recent events have all the makings of a big political scandal
It means : are likely to develop into

This suitcase is a bit on the heavy side
It means : heavier than you want it to be

This bottle opener’s a dead loss.
It means : completely useless

The accommodation was a bit rough and ready
It means : crude and lacking sophistication.

B. Commenting on people and their actions
If someone :
throws the baby out with the bathwater
Then they :
change things, but lose good things as well as bad

If someone :
gets/ jumps/ leaps on the bandwagon
Then they :
get involved in something already very successful

If someone :
plays devil’s advocate
Then they :
pretend to be against an idea so that others discuss it

If someone :
drives someone to distraction
Then they :
make someone very angry or very bored

If someone :
makes an exhibition of themselves
Then they :
do things in public that make them look stupid

If someone :
does something under false pretenses
Then they :
tell lies about who they are or what they’re doing

If someone :
never does anything halves
Then they :
always make a great effort and do things very well

If someone :
is laughing stock
Then they :
are laughed at/ mocked by everyone

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A. Some idioms we use to express Emphasis
If someone says :
You can borrow my car tonight
Then you say : Thanks a million !
You mean : Thank you very much indeed

If someone says :
Did you get the job you wanted ?
Then you say : No such luck !
You mean : You’re dissapointed and you were not able to do something

If someone says :
Can I go skiing with you and your friends this weekend?
Then you say : The more the merrier
You mean : You’re happy for others to join your group or activity

If someone says :
She is a great teacher
Then you say : You can say that again!
You mean : You totally agree with what she/he says

If someone says :
Come on the roller coaster with me !
Then you say : No way !
You mean : You don’t want to do something

If someone says :
I don’t know how you can drive a car in London traffic
Then you say : There’s nothing to it!
You mean :  You think something is easy

If someone says :
You could become a model
Then you say : Don’t make me laugh!
You mean : You think something is unlikely

If someone says :
It’s nearly the end of the holiday already
Then you say : How time flies !
You mean :You are surprised at how quickly time has passed

If someone says :
We bump into Ted’s teacher in Spain
Then you say : It’s a small world 
You mean : You are surprised at a coincidence
e.g. meeting someone unexpectedly

B. Some idioms we use when we talk about Indifferent
If someone says : What do you think caused the problem?
Then you say : It’s neither here nor there what I think
You mean : It is not very important

If someone says : Who do you think is to blame – the boss or the workers?
Then you say : It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other
You mean : Two people or groups are equally responsible for a bad situation

If someone says :
What do you think of Tom Cruise’s acting ?
Then you say : I can take it or leave it
You mean : You don’t hate something but you don’t particularly like it either

If someone says :
Luke’s got so many computer games
Then you say : I know. You name it. He’s got it
You  mean : Anything you say or choose, e.g. You name it, he’s done it

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