presentation and Bibliography

Idioms…are you up to the challenge ?
Renzo Tejada


What’s an Idiom?

• An expression which uses language in a non-literal, metaphorical way.

• An integral part of the English lexicon, like “fish and chips”, like “cookies and milk”.

• It’s something which adds “spice” to the language.

• It’s what makes the difference between a student of English and a speaker of the language.


Types of idioms

• Binomial (word and word) Rough and ready

• Trinomial (word, word and word) Cool, calm and collected

• Simile (as adj. as / like + noun) As dry as a bone / To have a memory like a sieve

• Compound A bone of contention

• Prepositional phrase In the blink of an eye

• Whole clause or sentence To cut a long story short

Which activities can we use ?

• Matching idioms to pictures
To arouse interest and activate the students’ visual memory

• Matching idioms to definitions
To present definitions and work with students’ memory

• Unscramble the idioms
To reinforce the idioms’ structure (Prepositions, particles,etc)

• Sentence completion
To show the idioms in context and present their usage.

• Responding to different situations
To get students to produce and understand the use of the idioms

• Crosswords
To consolidate the structure of the idioms presented

Reference

For idioms under definitions and more ideas, go to

www.renzotejada.blogspot.com

Bibliography


• “Idioms Organiser”, Jon Wright, 1999

• “Help with Idioms” , Jane Applebee and Anton Rush, 1992

• “English Idioms in Use”, Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell, 2002
• “Making Sense of Idioms”, Jake Allsop and Louise Woods, 1990

• “Red Herrings”, Michael Berman, 1996

• “Timesaver Phrasal Verbs and Idioms” , Mary Glasgow Magazines – Scholastic Inc., 2002



Webbliography


• English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions.
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/


• The Idiom Connection
http://www.idiomconnection.com/


• Funbrain’s.com Idioms games (for children)
http://www.funbrain.com/idioms/


• Self-Study Idiom Quizzes
http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html


• Pocket English Idioms
http://www.goenglish.com/IdiomsIndex.asp

A little activity for you..... Match these pictures to the idioms about Having problem.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A) I've come up against a brick wall. (Something preventing me from doing what I want)

B) I've dug myself into a hole. (I caused myself a problem difficult to escape from)

C) So now I'll have to face the music. (Accept criticism or punishment)

D) He's clutching at straws now. (He is in a difficult situation in which he'll do anything)

E) He's been left holding the baby. (Left to deal with a problem alone)

F) I put my foot in it. (Said something tactless and embarrasing)

Number idioms

Numbers

all-in-one
- combined, all the necessary features of something in one unit
Many DVD players have a recording and playing function all-in-one.
all in one breath
- spoken rapidly while one is very excited
I told my friend about the accident all in one breath.
all in one piece
- safely, without damage
The piano arrived at its destination all in one piece.
all rolled up in one
- combined in one person or thing
The man is president and vice-president all rolled up in one.
as busy as a one-armed paperhanger
- very busy
I was as busy as a one-armed paperhanger during the last two weeks.
as one
- as if a group were one person
The crowd stood as one and began to cheer during the game.
as phony as a three-dollar bill
- phony, not genuine
The woman's excuses are as phony as a three-dollar bill and I do not believe any of them.
at first
- initially, at the beginning
At first we had no plans for the weekend but finally we decided to go to a movie.
at one time
- at a time in the past
At one time the man had no money but now he is very rich.
at one with (someone)
- to share the same view as others, to be in agreement with others
The members of the committee are at one with me over my decision to cancel the meeting.
at sixes and sevens
- in a state of confusion
The workers were at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was going out of business.
at the eleventh hour
- at the last possible moment
At the eleventh hour the city and the garbage collectors settled their contract dispute.
back to square one
- back to where one started
We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the company.
bat a thousand
- to be extremely successful at something
Recently, I have been batting a thousand in my attempts to sell the new product.
by the dozen
- twelve at a time, in a group of twelve
The children were eating the donuts by the dozen.
by the dozens
- many, by a large number
The fans came by the dozens to see the famous athlete.
cast the first stone
- to be the first to criticize or attack someone
I told my friend that he should be careful not to cast the first stone in an argument.
catch forty winks
- to take a nap, to get some sleep
I drove all night until I was very tired so I decided to stop and catch forty winks.
cut both/two ways
- to be capable of having two opposite effects, to produce advantages and disadvantages
My decision to complain to our boss could cut two ways and cause him to be happy or angry with me.
deep-six (someone or something)
- to get rid of or dispose of someone or something
I decided to deep-six some of the old comics that I had collected.
dime a dozen
- cheap and common, lots of something
Used paperback books are a dime a dozen at the used bookstore.
divide (something) fifty-fifty
- to divide something into two equal parts
We decided to divide the money that we earned fifty-fifty.
do a number on (someone or something)
- to damage or harm someone or something
The young man did a number on the car that he borrowed from his uncle.
do (someone) one better
- to do something superior to what someone else has done
I decided to do my friend one better and volunteer for three weeks rather than two weeks.
dressed to the nines
- to be dressed in one's best clothes
The woman at the concert was dressed to the nines.
eleventh-hour decision
- a decision that is made at the last possible minute
The sport's federation made an eleventh-hour decision about suspending the star player.
every once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
Every once in a while I try and play tennis with my friend.
feel like a million (bucks/dollars)
- to feel great, to feel well and healthy
I feel like a million dollars today and I plan to go swimming.
(I/you/he) for one
- as one example, even if the only one
I for one do not believe that our boss will change the company policy related to new staff.
for one thing
- for one reason (among others)
"It is not possible to use the old building. For one thing it will not pass a fire inspection."
forty winks
- a short sleep during the day
When I arrived home I lay down and had forty winks.
get (someone's) number
- to find out someone's telephone number
I plan to get the man's number from one of his friends.
get the third degree
- to be questioned in great detail about something
When the boy returned from school he got the third degree from his mother.
Give me five!
- Hit me with your hand to show that you are happy about something.
"Give me five!" I said after I scored a goal in the game.
give (someone) the third degree
- to question someone in great detail about something
The policeman gave the young man the third degree when they saw him on the street.
give three cheers for (someone)
- to give praise or approval to someone who has done well
The crowd gave three cheers to the team after they won the final game.
go fifty-fifty (on something)
- to divide the cost of something in half
I decided to go fifty-fifty on a new camera with my friend.
have one too many
- have too much alcohol to drink
The man had one too many so his friends would not let him drive home.
have (someone's) number
- to get the key information to be able to understand someone
"I have that man's number. He is a liar and cannot be trusted."
have two strikes against (someone)
- to have a number of things that are working against you and where success becomes more difficult (in baseball you are finished batting after three strikes)
The man already had two strikes against him when he went to apply for the job.
hole in one
- a golf ball that is hit into the hole with only one shot
The golfer got a hole in one during his first round of golf.
hundred and one
- very many
I can think of a hundred and one reasons why the new employee is not capable of doing his job.
hundred to one chance/shot
- a small chance that is not likely to bring success
My friend only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
in one ear and out the other
- ignored, not listened to or not heard
The teacher told the students about their homework but it went in one ear and out the other.
in one fell swoop
- in one incident, as one event
In one fell swoop my friend got a new car, a new job and a new girlfriend.
in round figures/numbers
- an estimated number, a number that has been rounded off to an easier/shorter number
The mechanic told us in round figures how much it will cost to fix our car.
in two minds about (something)
- to be undecided about something
My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will visit me this summer.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
"Wait one minute. I will help you in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
it takes two to tango
- if a problem or an argument involve two people then both people are responsible for the problem
It takes two to tango and my friend should not blame me for all of our problems.
kill two birds with one stone
- to achieve two aims with one effort or action
If I take the course now I may be able to kill two birds with one stone and receive credit for it in the future as well.
know a trick or two
- to know a special way to deal with a problem
My father knows a trick or two about making model boats.
lesser of the two
- the smaller of two things, the one with the least amount
I ordered the food and when the two plates arrived I took the lesser of the two.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
I did not want to take the job but it was the lesser of two evils because having no job was even worse.
like two peas in a pod
- very close or intimate, very similar
The two girls are like two peas in a pod and are very good friends.
look after number one
- to only look after or think about oneself
My neighbor only looks after number one and he will not help me at all.
look like a million dollars
- look very good
My mother looked like a million dollars when she left the hospital.
million and one
- very many
There were a million and one things to do at the festival.
million dollar question
- an important but difficult question
The million dollar question is whether we should buy a new computer or not.
million miles away
- to not be paying attention to something, to be distracted and daydreaming
I was a million miles away and I did not hear anything that the teacher said.
nine-day wonder
- someone or something who briefly attracts a lot of attention
The man was a nine-day wonder but he was soon forgotten by most people at his former company.
nine times out of ten
- almost always
Nine times out of ten if you have a computer problem it is something small that can be easily fixed.
nine-to-five attitude
- an attitude towards work where someone does not do anything beyond the minimum that is required of him or her
The man has a nine-to-five attitude and he is not doing very well as a salesperson in his company.
nine-to-five job
- a routine job in an office that involves standard office hours (usually 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM)
My father always worked at a nine-to-five job.
no two ways about (something)
- no alternative, certain
The manager said that there are no two ways about it and the worker must improve or he will be fired.
not give two hoots about (someone or something)
- to not care at all about someone or something
I do not give two hoots if my friend comes to visit me or not.
not one iota
- not even a tiny bit
"I do not like him - not one iota."
not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
- to not want to be involved with someone or something under any circumstances
I would not touch that problem with a ten-foot pole.
a number of (things or people)
- some things, some people
A number of people complained about the food in the restaurant.
number one
- oneself
My friend only thinks about number one and never about anybody else.
on all fours
- on one's hands and knees
The man was on all fours looking for his car keys.
on cloud nine
- very happy about something
My sister has been on cloud nine since she won the money in the contest.
on the one hand
- from one point of view or opinion
On the one hand I do not want to go to the conference but on the other hand I really must go.
once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
We only go to that small Mexican restaurant once in a while.
one after another
- one thing or person follows another
The customers came one after another to look at the new computer operating system.
one and all
- everyone
One and all were invited to the party.
one and only
- the only person or thing, unique
Our university has the one and only medical imaging system in the country.
one and the same
- exactly the same
Doing my job at home or at the company is one and the same to me and to my company.
one at a time
- individually
The children went to the front of the classroom one at a time.
one by one
- individually, one at a time
The children entered the school building one by one.
one for the (record) books
- a record-breaking act
The athlete's performance in the race was one for the record books.
one for the road
- one last drink (usually of alcohol) before one leaves for home
We decided to stay at the party and have one for the road before taking a taxi home.
one good turn deserves another
- if someone helps you then you should help them in return
One good turn deserves another so I was happy to help my friend move after he had helped me.
one heck/hell of a (someone or something)
- the emphasis that someone or something is very good or very bad
The man is one heck of a runner and he has won many races.
one in a hundred
- one among one hundred of something
About one in a hundred of the products are defective.
one in a million
- unique, one of a very few
Our coach is one in a million. He is fantastic.
one in a thousand
- one out of one thousand
The chance of getting the job is about one in a thousand.
one jump/step ahead of (someone or something)
- one step in advance of someone or something
My boss is always one jump ahead of the rest of the employees.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
- something that one person likes may not be liked by another person
One man's meat is another man's poison and everybody dislikes the food that my friend likes.
a one-night stand
- an activity that lasts only one night
The rock band played several one-night stands last month.
One person's trash is another person's treasure.
- something that one person considers of no value may be considered valuable by somebody else
One person's trash is another person's treasure and my friend likes to look at my old things before I put them in the garbage.
one of the boys
- an accepted member of a group
Our boss tries to be one of the boys but actually nobody likes him.
one of these days
- soon, before long, someday
One of these days they plan to open a new movie theater but we have already been waiting many years.
one of those days
- a bad day where many things go wrong
It was one of those days and from early morning things went wrong.
one of those things
- something is unfortunate but it must be accepted
My aunt's sudden illness is one of those things and there is nothing we can do about it.
one or two
- a few, a small number
There were only one or two people at the meeting so it was postponed until later.
one sandwich short of a picnic
- not very smart
The janitor is one sandwich short of a picnic and he makes many mistakes.
the one that got away
- a fish that you did not catch, an opportunity that you missed
My father said that he has caught many fish but the biggest one was the one that got away.
one thing leads to another
- doing one thing or one event will set the stage for something else
One thing led to another and suddenly it was too late to catch the bus home.
one to a customer
- each person can receive only one of something
The items were sold at only one to a customer.
one up on (someone)
- to have an advantage over someone
I am one up on my friend because he is still looking for a job while I have already found one.
one way or another
- somehow
One way or another I will phone my friend this evening.
one's days are numbered
- someone is facing death or dismissal from something
The salesman has made many mistakes and his days are numbered at work.
one's lucky number comes up
- someone is lucky or has good fortune
My lucky number finally came up and I was chosen to go to Los Angeles to represent our company at the conference.
one's number is up
- something bad will happen to someone
I think that the manager's number is up and he will soon be fired from his job.
one's opposite number
- someone who has the same position as oneself in another company or organization
I spoke with my opposite number in the other company but we could not finalize the sale.
put in one's two cent's (worth)
- to add one's comments to a discussion
I decided not to put in my two cents worth to the discussion about money.
put two and two together
- to make a correct guess, to figure something out from the information that you have
We were able to put two and two together and discover who was sending the unwanted messages.
quick one
- a single drink of alcohol taken before one does something else
We stopped for a quick one on the way home from work.
round off a number
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
The number was 4.4972 but we rounded it off to 4.5.
seventh heaven
- a situation of great happiness
The woman has been in seventh heaven since she moved to the new department.
six feet under
- dead and buried
My uncle has been six feet under for over five years now.
six of one and half a dozen of the other
- there is little difference between two things/situations
"Whatever you do is no problem for me. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other."
sixth sense
- a power to know or feel that things are beyond the five senses of sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch
The woman has a sixth sense and she seems to know what everyone is thinking.
split (something) fifty-fifty
- to split/divide something into two equal parts
We split the profits from our business fifty-fifty.
stand on one's own two feet
- to be independent and self-sufficient
The boy learned early how to stand on his own two feet.
a stitch in time saves nine
- any damage or mistake should be corrected immediately in order to prevent it from getting worse
"You should repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine."
take care of number one
- to only think about or take care of oneself
The man takes care of number one and never thinks about anyone else.
take five
- to take one brief (about five minutes) rest period
The city workers stopped to take five after working hard all morning.
tell (someone) a thing or two (about something)
- to scold someone, to become angry at someone
I plan to tell my neighbor a thing or two about his dog when I see him.
ten to one
- very likely
I think that ten to one our secretary will come to work late again today.
That makes two of us.
- The same thing is true for me.
"I do not want to go to the meeting." "That makes two of us," I replied.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
There is more than one way to skin a cat and my friend and I decided to solve the problem in two different ways.
think twice (before doing something)
- to consider carefully whether one should do something
I told my cousin to think twice before he decides to quit his job.
thousand and one
- very many
I can think of a thousand and one reasons why I do not want to travel with my friend.
three R's
- the three basic skills in school - reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic
Many people believe that teaching the three R's is the most important role for schools.
three sheets to the wind
- drunk
The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
two bricks shy of a load
- to be not very smart or clever
The man is two bricks shy of a load and he is very hard to deal with.
two can play that game
- you can treat another person in the same way as they have treated you
The man told his boss that two can play that game and if the boss was too strict then he would be inflexible as well.
two heads are better than one
- two people working together can achieve better results than one person working alone
Two heads are better than one when you are trying to solve a difficult problem.
two of a kind
- people or things that are of the same type or are similar in character/attitude etc.
The boys are two of a kind and they love to spend time together.
two-time (someone)
- to cheat on one's partner by seeing someone else
The couple separated when the man began to two-time his wife.
two wrongs don't make a right
- you cannot justify doing something wrong or bad just because someone else did the same thing to you
Two wrongs don't make a right and if someone does something bad you should not try and hurt them as well.
two's company, three's a crowd
- two people (usually a couple on a date) are happier when nobody else is around
My friend wanted to come with my girlfriend and I but I told him that two's company and three's a crowd so he stayed home.

Sports idioms

Sports

across the board
- applying to all (in horse racing a bet where an equal amount of money is placed on a horse to finish in any top winning position)
The workers received an across the board wage increase and most of them were happy.
arrow in one's quiver
- have a number of resources or strategies that one can follow
His ability with languages was another arrow in his quiver and helped him in his business life.
at this stage of the game
- at some point, at some time during an activity
At this stage of the game I don't think that we should spend more money on the project.
back the wrong horse
- make the wrong choice, support the wrong thing (from horse racing)
The students backed the wrong horse in the election for school president and were very surprised at the winner.
ball is in someone's court
- it is that person's turn to act next (from tennis or a similar game)
We made an offer to buy the business and now the ball is in the owner's court to accept our offer or not.
ballpark estimate/figure
-a guess in a certain area or range
We were given a ballpark estimate as to how much it would cost to buy the business.
bat a thousand
- be successful in everything that you do
The salesman was batting a thousand during his sales trip to Europe.
beat the gun
- do something before the ending signal of a game etc.
We were able to beat the gun and applied before the final deadline to get the free basketball tickets.
behind the eight ball
- at a disadvantage (from the black ball which is numbered eight in the game of pool)
Our friend was behind the eight ball when he discovered that he was last in line to register for his classes.
beyond one's depth
- in water that is too deep, do something that is too difficult
The executives appeared to be beyond their depth when they chose to pick a fight with the unions.
blow the whistle on someone
- reveal information about someone (from sports where the referee blows a whistle when someone does something wrong)
The secretary blew the whistle on her boss for his responsibility in wasting much money in his department.
bounce something (an idea) off someone
- test someone's reaction to an idea
I bounced my idea for the new restaurant off my friend.
call the shots
- control something, make the rules (from calling the shots in billiards/pool)
My friend has been calling the shots in his company for several years now.
carry the ball
- be in charge (from carry the ball in American football)
The director decided to let his assistant carry the ball on the assignment for the new sale's contract.
clear a hurdle
- overcome an obstacle (from a hurdle in a race)
We finally cleared a major hurdle in our effort to get a license to sell our products.
come out of left field
- be completely unexpected
His idea about going to Turkey came right out of left field.
cover all of one's bases
- thoroughly prepare for or deal with a situation
He covered all of his bases before going to the job interview and performed very well.
(be) cricket
- fair play, gentlemanly conduct (usually used in the negative)
The way that the government treated the union leaders was not cricket.
dive right into something
- begin to do something without hesitating
When university started some of the students decided to dive right into their studies.
down/out for the count
- defeated, unconscious (in boxing a boxer who is on the ground must get up before the count of ten or he will lose)
The political candidate seemed to be down for the count when no major figures supported him.
down to the wire
- at the very last minute (from the wire at the end of a horse race)
The election went down to the wire but in the end the President was re-elected to another term in office.
draw first blood
- the first point or advantage gained in a contest (often in boxing or fighting with swords)
The heavyweight champion drew first blood in the boxing match but in the end was defeated by his opponent.
drop the ball
- make an error or mistake, handle things badly
The government dropped the ball on their decision to expand the airport runway without consulting the local residents.
first out of the gate
- be the first person to begin a project
He was first out of the gate in the effort to raise money for the new concert hall.
first past the post
- winning a race by being the first to reach the finishing line (in a horse race)
The young horse was first past the post and won a large amount of money in the race.
get off to a flying start
- have a very successful beginning
The meeting got off to a flying start when the company directors announced that they had won a large contract.
get one's feet wet
- start a new project cautiously
Before getting my feet wet I spent many months studying the plans for the new project.
get the ball rolling
- begin
We got up early to get the ball rolling on our project.
get to (reach) first base with someone or something
- make an advance with someone or in some undertaking (from first base in baseball)
I spent several hours talking about changing my work hours but I wasn't able to get to first base with my boss.
get two/three strikes against someone
- get several things against one, be in a situation where success in unlikely (in baseball a batter is finished after three strikes)
His absence from work and being late were serious problems. He now had two strikes against him. Any more problems and he would have to be fired.
go to bat for someone
- support or help someone (in baseball you sometines substitute one batter for another)
The young woman's teacher went to bat for her when she was having problems with the school administration.
go to the mat
- argue strongly on behalf of someone or something
The coach would always go to the mat for his players when they were having problems.
hand the torch/baton to someone
- hand over a particular duty or responsibility to someone (from the baton or torch that is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race)
The president of the company handed the torch to his son when he decided to retire.
hard to call
- hard to decide or determine something (referees in sports sometimes have to make difficult decisions)
The election was hard to call and nobody knew who was going to win.
have had a good innings
- have enjoyed a long period of positive action or opportunity (from cricket where an innings is the time that a team spends batting and a good innings is when they score a lot of runs)
The team had a very good innings and won the match easily.
have the inside track
- have an advantage (if you have the inside track in running a race you have an advantage)
I had the inside track when I applied for the job at the bank.
hit someone below the belt
- unfair, not following the rules (from hitting low in boxing)
It was a case of hitting someone below the belt when the girl stole her best friend's boyfriend from her.
hit the bull's-eye
- achieve your goal perfectly
We hit the bull's-eye when our sales target was met for the year.
in full swing
- full capacity, greatest activity
The basketball season was in full swing when we decided to buy season's tickets.
in someone's corner
- on someone's side, supporting someone (in a boxing match each boxer has his own corner)
The young man gained confidence when he realized that there were many people in his corner.
in the ballpark
- in a particular area or range (from a baseball field)
The value of my business was not in the same ballpark as what I had been offered so I decided not to sell it.
in the bullpen
- a baseball player is in a special area getting ready to pitch in a game
The new pitcher practiced in the bullpen while he waited for a chance to enter the game.
in the homestretch
- be close to completion
The project to build the new bridge is now in the homestretch.
in the running
- to be a candidate (from horse racing when two horses are running evenly)
The lawyer is in the running for a job on the city school board.
in the same league as someone
- be at the same level as someone
The boys soccer team was not in the same league at their opponents.
jockey for position
- try to put yourself in a better position at the expense of others (as a jockey would do in a horse race)
The salesmen started to jockey for position as soon as they learned that the sales manager was leaving the company.
jump the gun
- start before the starting signal or before you should start (as in a race)
My friend jumped the gun and applied for the job before applications were being accepted.
keep one's eye on the ball
- remain alert, keep one's attention focused on the ball or the matter at hand
He was told that during the meeting he must keep his eye on the ball and concentrate on the matter at hand.
keep the ball rolling
- maintain the momentum of an activity
My friend is always able to keep the ball rolling when we are gathered for dinner and everyone becomes silent.
kick off
- kick the ball and start the game in American football, begin, start
They kicked off the campaign to raise money for the hospital with a large fund raising event at a restaurant.
know the score
- know the facts about something
The new secretary doesn't really know the score about how the company operates.
level playing field
- a situation where everyone has an equal chance at success
We were able to achieve a level playing field with the other schools when the government made some new rules regarding the competition.
make it to first base
- successfully taking the first step with someone or when doing something
I was not able to make it to first base in my attempt to have my boss change my work schedule.
make the cut
- meet or come up to a required standard (from golf where a player must do equal or better than a certain score to continue)
The young player did not make the cut and was unable to join the team that year.
meet one's match
- encounter one's equal
The boxer finally met his match when he was offered the fight with the other wrestler.
miss the cut
- fail to come up to or meet a required standard (from golf where a player must do equal or better than a certain score to continue)
After several successful tournaments the golfer missed the cut and could not enter the next tournament.
move the goalposts
- unfairly change the conditions or rules of something that you are doing
Although we followed the rules when applying for the license, the government officials moved the goalposts and our application was rejected.
neck and neck
- exactly even (as in a horse race)
The two candidates were running neck and neck in the election until the last ballots were counted late in the evening.
nip and tuck
- almost even or tied
The two horses were running nip and tuck for most of the race but finally the younger horse won the race.
not in the same league
- much inferior to someone
Our soccer team was not in the same league as the Brazilian players who we met at the tournament.
odds are against one
- there is little chance that you will succeed
The odds were against the boy joining the team but he tried very hard anyway.
off and running
- make progress in something from the beginning (from horses who run quickly from the start of a race)
The two candidates were off and running in the race to become mayor of the city.
off base
- wrong, unrealistic
The general was off base with his estimate about how many soldiers were needed for the battle.
off to a running start
- start with a good fast beginning
Everyone was off to a running start when the campaign to collect money for the new hospital began.
on a par with
- equal in importance or quality to something or someone (par is the usual number of strokes that are needed to get around a golf course)
The recent scandal involving steroids in sports was on a par with other major scandals of several decades ago.
on side
- supporting or part of the same team as someone else
We finally got the directors on side in our bid to host the local basketball championships.
on the ropes
- in a desperate situation or near defeat (from boxing where the losing boxer is forced back against the ropes)
The boxer was on the ropes and it seemed impossible for him to win the match.
on your marks
- used to tell runners in a race to get into the correct starting position
The race began as soon as the judge yelled, "on your marks, get set, go."
out in left field
- offbeat, unusual (as in the back and left side of a baseball field)
Our teacher's ideas are usually out in left field and everyone is surprised to hear them.
out of one's league
- not equal to or in the same class as someone (a league is a group of sports teams that compete against each other)
The artist was totally out of his league when he went to Paris and tried to enter the art world.
out of the running
- eliminated from a contest, no longer being considered
Our friend was out of the running for the director's job so she decided to return to school and continue her education.
paddle one's own canoe
- do something alone, be independent
The company director was left to paddle his own canoe when the other members of the company resigned their positions.
par for the course
- what is normal or expected in a given situation (in golf par is the usual number of strokes needed to go around a golf course)
A bad attitude at work is par for the course for that supervisor and it is something that management must deal with.
pass the torch/baton to someone
- hand over a particular duty or responsibility to someone (from the baton or torch that is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race)
The head of the soccer association passed the torch to his director after spending many years in the sport.
play ball (with someone)
- cooperate with someone
The young men refused to play ball with the police and were taken to the police station for questioning.
play by the rules
- follow the generally accepted rules of something
The team members refused to play by the rules so they were asked to leave the tournament.
play fair
- avoid cheating
The boxer was an honorable athlete and always played fair when he was in the boxing ring.
play hardball with someone
- behave in an extremely determined way to get what you want (hardball and softball are from the game of baseball)
The owners of the football club decided to play hardball when they began negotiating with the top player.
pump iron
- exercise with weights
Her brother has been pumping iron for more than two years now.
put in one's oar
- give help, give advice without being asked
We were doing very well until our supervisor came along and put in his oar. We would have done better without him.
rally around someone or something
- join together to support someone or something
The city rallied around the basketball team when they went to the national championships.
rest on one's oars
- relax one's efforts
The negotiating team decided to rest on their oars and wait until their partners had a chance to consider the offer.
right off the bat
- at the very beginning, immediately (like the ball leaving a baseball or cricket bat)
After arriving at the resort, we were told right off the bat that we would have to pay extra to use the pool and the training room.
roll with the punches
- adapt to difficult circumstances (from boxing where a boxer moves away or rolls from a punch to lessen its impact)
My sister is able to roll with the punches and can handle the many problems in her work very well.
run interference
- intervene on behalf of someone to protect them from something (from American football)
They ran interference on their top salesman to protect him from the scandal.
safe bet
- a certainty (a horse that is expected to win a race)
It was a safe bet that we would win the large contract if we bid for it.
saved by the bell
- rescued from a bad situation at the last minute (as in the bell at the end of each round in a boxing match)
We were saved by the bell when the meeting ended before we had to deliver our badly prepared presentation.
score points with someone
- gain the favor of someone
The salesman always worked extra hours in order to score points with his boss.
send someone to the showers
- send a player off the field and out of a game
The referee sent the top player to the showers after he refused to stop arguing.
set the pace
- establish the speed or pace of something
The runner set the pace for the other runners during the marathon.
smooth sailing
- something is working out well and has no problems
After we left the city it was smooth sailing on the highway until we got to our destination.
sporting chance
- some possibility of success
The tennis player was not given a sporting chance to win the tournament but still she tried very hard to win.
sport of kings
- horse racing
Horse racing has been the sport of kings for many years.
steal a base
- sneak from one base to another in baseball
The young baseball player won an award for stealing the most bases in one year.
sticky wicket
- an awkward situation (from cricket where rain has made it difficult to bat on the field)
The rain had made a sticky wicket out of the field and neither side was able to play very well.
strike out
- fail
The criminal struck out in his attempt to change the punishment that he had received from the judge.
tackle a problem
- attack a problem with much effort (from American football where one player tackles another player)
All of the members of the sales team gathered to tackle the problem of decreasing sales.
take one's eye off the ball
- fail to keep one's attention focused on the ball or the matter at hand
He took his eye off the ball for only a second and the other team quickly scored a goal.
take the chequered flag
- finish first in a race (from the flag that is used in car racing when the winner finishes the race)
The Brazilian driver took the chequered flag for the third time this year.
take the wind out of one's sails
- become discouraged and lose one's enthusiasm
It took the wind out of his sails when he was told that he was not doing a good job.
team player
- someone who works well with others to achieve some goal
The man is a team player and works well with all of the other members of the staff.
test the water
- check to see if a plan will work before you start
The fruit juice company tested the water before they began to sell the lemon fruit juice.
"That's the way the ball bounces."
- that's life, there is nothing you can do about something
The man replied, "That's the way the ball bounces", when he told his friend about the job that he had lost.
throw in the towel/sponge
- admit defeat, stop fighting (in a boxing match a towel is thrown into the ring to admit defeat)
The candidate threw in the towel early in the evening of the election when it became impossible for her to win.
throw one's hat into the ring
- be willing or decide to enter a contest or take up a challenge
The young woman decided to throw her hat into the ring for the election for school president.
throw/pitch someone a curve
- pitch a curve in baseball, confuse someone by doing something unexpected
My friend threw me a curve when he changed the dates of our plan to go on a holiday together.
too close to call
- so evenly balanced that it is not possible to predict the outcome (in a contest, race, election)
The game was too close to call until the last few minutes of the game.
toe the line
- accept the authority or policies of a particular group (competitors in a race line up with their toes on the starting line)
The worker refused to toe the line and was fired from his job.
touch base with someone
- briefly meet or make contact with someone
I touched base with my uncle before he left on his trip to Mexico.
two strikes against someone
- do two things that are wrong or bad and have only one more to do to cause you serious trouble ( from baseball where a batter is finished after three strikes)
The young boy had two strikes against him when he went to hear the judge's decision about his crime.
up to par
- at an expected or usual level or quality (par in golf is the usual number of strokes used to get around a golf course)
The product was not up to par and was sent back to the factory for further improvement.
whole new ball game
- a new set of circumstances (from a new game of baseball)
The election had become a whole new ball game when the main candidate quit because of a scandal.
win by a neck
- succeed by a small amount (in horse racing a horse may win by the length of its head only)
The race was very close but at the end the young horse pulled ahead and won the race by a neck.
win by a nose
- win by a very small amount (the narrowest margin that a horse can win in a horse race)
There was a dispute as to who won the horse race but the judges settled the matter and declared that one of the horses had won the race by a nose.

Money idioms

Money

above par
- more than average, above normal, more than the face value of a bond/stock/currency
The currency was selling above par at the small exchange shop.
almighty dollar
- money when it is viewed as more important than anything else
The man spent most of his life chasing the almighty dollar.
ante up
- to pay money, to produce a necessary amount of money
I had to ante up a lot of money to get my car fixed.
as phony as a three-dollar bill
- phony, not genuine
The man who was asking for donations for the charity was as phony as a three-dollar bill.
as poor as a church mouse
- very poor
The young mother is as poor as a church mouse and she has little money to feed her family.
as sound as a dollar
- very secure and dependable
The company president believes that his business is as sound as a dollar.
at a premium
- at a higher price than usual because of something special
The tickets for the final basketball game were selling at a premium.
at all costs
- at any expense of time/effort/money
We plan to send our child to a good school at all costs.
back on one`s feet
- to return to good financial health
My sister is back on her feet after losing her job last year.
balance the books/accounts
- to make sure that all money is accounted for by using generally accepted accounting methods
The small business owner works very hard to balance the books of her company.
below par
- lower than average, below normal, less than the face value of a bond/stock/currency
The government bonds were selling at a price that was below par.
bet one`s bottom dollar
- to bet all that one has on something because you are sure that you will win
I would bet my bottom dollar that the accounting manager will be late again today.
bet on the wrong horse
- to base one`s plans on a wrong guess about the results of something
The businessman is betting on the wrong horse if he continues to support the other candidate for mayor.
beyond one's means
- more than one can afford
The young man was living beyond his means before he got his first job.
born with a silver spoon in one`s mouth
- to be born to wealth and comfort, to be born rich
The new student in our class was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he has never worked in his life.
bottom dollar
- one`s last dollar
The man spent his bottom dollar on some new clothes to wear for his job interview.
bottom line
- the line in a financial statement that shows net income or loss
The bottom line in the company's financial statement was much worse than expected.
bottom line
- the final result, the main point
The bottom line was that we were unable to attend the conference because of our busy schedule.
bottom out
- to reach the lowest point
The value of the company's stock has recently appeared to bottom out.
bread and butter
- one's income, the source of someone's food
The man's business is his bread and butter and he works very hard to make it successful.
break even
- to have income equal to expenses
Our company was able to break even after only six months of operation.
break the bank
- to win all the money at a casino gambling table, to use all of one's money
The man broke the bank at the casino and walked away with a lot of money.
bring home the bacon
- to earn the family living, to earn a salary
I have been working hard all month bringing home the bacon for my family.
burn a hole in one`s pocket
- to stimulate someone to spend money quickly
The money was burning a hole in the man's pocket when he decided to go to the casino.
buy off (someone)
- to give money to someone to stop them from doing their duty
The man tried to buy off the politician but he refused to agree to the plan.
buy (something) for a song
- to buy something cheaply
I was able to buy my first house for a song.
by check
- by using a check
I paid for the hotel room by check.
can take (something) to the bank
- a statement is true, something is guaranteed to be successful
I believe that we can take the new business plan to the bank.
cash-and-carry
- selling something for cash only and with no delivery
We were able to get a good price on a sofa in a cash-and-carry deal at the furniture store.
cash in (something)
- to exchange coupons or bonds for their value in money
I cashed in a large number of my savings bonds in order to get some money to buy a car.
cash in on (something)
- to make money from an opportunity
The former basketball player cashed in on his popularity to open a very successful restaurant.
cash in one`s chips
- to exchange or sell something to get some money (from the chips used in a poker game)
I decided to cash in my chips and go back to school.
cash on the barrelhead
- money paid in cash when something is bought
I gave the salesman cash on the barrelhead for the used car.
caught short
- to not have enough money when you need it
I was caught short and had to borrow some money from my father last week.
cheapskate
- a person who will not spend much money, a stingy person
My friend is a cheapskate and will not even go to a movie with me.
chicken feed
- a small amount of money
The amount of money that I paid for the used car was chicken feed.
chip in (money)
- to contribute money for something, to pay jointly for something
Everybody in our office chipped in some money to buy a wedding present for our boss.
chisel (someone) out of (something)
- to cheat someone to get money or something
The criminal tried to chisel the small business owner out of much money.
clean up
- to make a lot of money, to make a big profit
I cleaned up at the horse races last year and I still have some of the money left.
cold hard cash
- cash/coins/bills
I paid for the stereo in cold hard cash.
control the purse strings
- to be in charge of the money in a business or a household
My sister controls the purse strings in her family.
cook the books/accounts
- to illegally change information in the accounting books in a company, to write down false numbers in the accounting books in a company
The accountant was cooking the books for more than one year before he was caught.
cost a pretty penny
- to cost a lot of money
It is going to cost a pretty penny to get my car fixed.
cost an arm and a leg
- to cost a lot of money
My new stereo system cost an arm and a leg.
cross (someone's) palm with silver
- to give money to someone in payment for a service
We had to cross the apartment manager's palm with silver in order to rent the apartment quickly.
cut one's losses
- to reduce one's losses of money or something else
The owners decided to sell the soccer team in order to cut their losses.
cut (someone) a check
- to write a check (usually used for a company which automatically produces a check with a computer)
The company cut me a check to pay me for my extra work.
cut (someone) off without a penny
- to stop giving someone a regular amount of money, to leave someone no money in a will
The wealthy businessman cut his son off without a penny when the young man refused to work hard.
cut-rate
- a price that is lower than usual
We went to a cut-rate furniture store to buy some new furniture for our apartment.
deadbeat
- a person who never pays the money that he or she owes
Recently, the government is trying to solve the problem of deadbeat dads who do not support their families.
a dime a dozen
- easy to get and therefore of little value
Used computers are a dime a dozen and have very little value.
dirt cheap
- extremely cheap
The land in the country was dirt cheap when we bought it.
dollar for dollar
- considering the cost
Dollar for dollar the new hotel is the best bargain in this city for tourists.
down-and-out
- having no money
My friend was down-and-out for many years before he got a job and began to make money.
draw interest
- (for money) to earn interest while it is on deposit at a bank
We put the money into our bank account so that it would draw interest.
Dutch treat
- a situation where each person pays his or her own share of the expenses
The movie was a Dutch treat so I did not have to pay for my date.
easy money
- money that you do not need to work hard to get
I was able to make some easy money from my job during the summer.
face value
- the value or price printed on a stamp/bond/note/paper money
The face value of the stamp was very low but it was worth a lot of money.
a fast buck
- money that is earned quickly and easily (and sometimes dishonestly)
The company tried to make a fast buck on the property but actually they lost a lot of money.
feed the kitty
- to contribute money to a special collection
Everybody had to feed the kitty in order to collect money for the party.
feel like a million dollars/bucks
- to feel wonderful, to feel well and healthy
Although I have been sick for a few weeks I feel like a million dollars today.
flat broke
- to have no money at all
I am flat broke and do not have enough money to pay my rent.
float a loan
- to get a loan, to arrange for a loan
I decided to float a loan to get some money to buy a new car.
a fool and his money are soon parted
- if a person acts unwisely with money he or she will soon lose it
A fool and his money are soon parted and when the young man got the money from his father he soon spent it.
foot the bill
- to pay for something
My sister will foot the bill for her daughter's education if she decides to go to university.
for a song
- at a low price, cheaply
We bought the car for a song and will use it on our holidays.
(not) for love or money
- not for anything, not for any price (usually used in the negative)
I would not want to have that man's job for love or money.
for my money
- used before you say something to show that it is your opinion
"For my money, I believe that the new company policy will not be successful."
for peanuts
- for very little money
The man had no money and was willing to work for peanuts.
fork money out (for something)
- to pay for something
I had to fork much money out to get my car fixed.
fork over (some money)
- to pay money for something
I forked over much money for the painting that is hanging on my wall.
free and clear
- (to own something) completely and without owing any money
Our neighbor owns his house free and clear.
from rags to riches
- from poverty to wealth
The man went from rags to riches with his hard work and effort.
get a run for one's money
- to receive a challenge, to receive what one deserves
The man got a run for his money when he decided to volunteer for the cleaning project.
get along on a shoestring
- to be able to live on very little money
The woman was forced to get along on a shoestring when she was a student.
get one's money's worth
- to get everything (or even a little more) that one has paid for
We got our money's worth when we were able to spend the day at the water park.
give (someone) a blank check
- to let someone act as they want or as they think is necessary (like a check that has the amount left blank)
The police department gave the new committee a blank check to try and solve the homeless problem.
give (someone) a run for their money
- to give someone a challenge, to give someone what they deserve
The young candidate for the city park board gave the more experienced candidates a run for their money during the election.
go broke
- to lose all one`s money, to become bankrupt
My uncle started a company last year but it quickly went broke.
go Dutch
- to share in the cost of a meal or some other event
We decided to go Dutch when we went to the restaurant for dinner.
go to the expense (of doing something)
- to pay the cost of doing something
I did not want to go to the expense of buying a new sofa for our apartment.
going rate
- the current rate
The going rate for used bicycles is not very much.
gravy train
- a job or some work that pays more than it is worth
The job was a gravy train and I made a lot of money when I worked there.
grease (someone`s) palm
- to pay for a special favor or for extra help, to bribe someone
We had to grease the palm of the hotel manager to get a room.
a handout
- a gift of money (usually from the government)
The bus company has received many handouts from the government.
hard up
- to not have much money
The man is always hard up for money and he often wants to borrow some.
have an itchy/itching palm
- to ask for tips or money
The hotel clerk has an itchy palm and he is always asking for money.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or an organization
The clerk had her hand in the till so we decided to fire her.
have money to burn
- to have very much money, to have more money than is needed
My aunt has money to burn and she is always travelling somewhere.
have sticky fingers
- to be a thief
The new employee has sticky fingers and many things in the store have disappeared.
have the Midas touch
- to have the ability to make money easily (King Midas turned everything that he touched into gold)
My uncle has the Midas touch and every business that he starts makes a lot of money.
(not) have two cents to rub together
- to not have much money
My friend does not have two cents to rub together and he is usually broke.
He who pays the piper calls the tune
- the person who pays for something has control over how the money is used
He who pays the piper calls the tune and the owner of the sports team can decide who will play on the team.
head over heels in debt
- to be deeply in debt
My cousin is head over heels in debt and has no money at all.
heads or tails
- the face of a coin or the other side of the coin
The referee threw the coin to see if it would be heads or tails.
highway robbery
- the charging of a high price for something
The amount of money that the company is charging for its services is highway robbery.
hit pay dirt
- to make a valuable discovery, to find the dirt in which much gold is found
We hit pay dirt when we got the rights to distribute the new product.
hit the jackpot
- to make a lot of money suddenly (usually from gambling)
We hit the jackpot at the casino and came home with a lot of money.
honor (someone's) check
- to accept someone's personal check
The bank refused to honor my check for the apartment rent.
ill-gotten gains
- money acquired in a dishonest or illegal manner
The ill-gotten gains of the politician were the subject of a large government inquiry.
in clover
- in a very good financial situation
My aunt and uncle have been in clover since my uncle got his new job.
in debt
- owing money
The man is in debt and owes much money to many people.
in kind
- in goods rather than money
I paid for the work on my car in kind rather than with actual cash.
in the black
- to be profitable, to make money
Our company has been in the black since it started.
in the chips
- with much money, wealthy
My grandfather was in the chips after they discovered oil on his farm.
in the hole
- to be in debt, to owe money
I think that we are now in the hole and our business is having trouble.
in the money
- to be wealthy, to suddenly get a lot of money
I am in the money now that I won the lottery.
in the red
- to be unprofitable, to be losing money, to be in debt
The company has been in the red for several months now and will soon go bankrupt.
jack up (the price)
- to raise the price of something
The store jacked up the prices of their summer stock at the beginning of the summer.
keep books
- to keep records of money that is earned and spent
Our accountant is keeping careful books of all the transactions in the company.
keep the wolf from the door
- to earn enough money to maintain oneself at a minimal level of existence
The job does not pay very well but it is enough to keep the wolf from the door.
kickback
- money paid illegally for favorable treatment
The politician received several illegal kickbacks and he was forced to resign.
last of the big spenders
- a humorous way to describe someone who spends a lot of money for something (although he or she may not want to spend it)
The man is pretending to be the last of the big spenders as he spends money on his family.
lay away money
- to save money
I am trying hard to lay away enough money to buy a car.
lay out (money)
- to spend/pay money
I had to lay out a lot of money to get my car fixed so now I do not have much money.
layaway plan
- a plan in which one pays some money as a downpayment and then pays a little more when one is able and the store holds the goods until the full price is paid
We bought our furniture on the layaway plan at the store.
let the buyer beware
- let the person who buys something check to see if the product is in good condition or has no problems
Consumers of electronic products should remember the motto of "let the buyer beware," when they buy something.
live beyond one's means
- to spend more money than you can afford
The girl is living beyond her means and will soon have some serious financial problems.
live from hand to mouth
- to live on little money
My friend has been living from hand to mouth and is now using his savings from his previous job.
live high off the hog
- to have the best of everything, to live in great comfort
My mother and father have been living high off the hog since they won the lottery.
live within one's means
- to spend no more money than one has
I try very hard to live within my means so that I do not have any financial pressure.
loaded
- to have lots of money
My uncle is loaded and he has lots of money.
look like a million dollars
- to look very good
The woman looked like a million dollars when she went to accept the award.
lose one`s shirt
- to lose all or most of one`s money
I lost my shirt in a small business and now I have no money.
(not) made of money
- to not have a lot of money (usually used in the negative to say that you do not have enough money for something)
My friend is not made of money and he has difficulty paying for his children's education.
make a bundle/pile
- to make a lot of money
I made a bundle on the stock market and decided to buy a house.
make a check out to (someone)
- to write a check with someone's name on it
I made a check out to the man who repaired my bathroom.
make a fast/quick buck
- to make money with little effort
The young man is very lazy and he is always trying to make a fast buck.
make a killing
- to make a large amount of money
My sister made a killing when she worked overseas in the oil industry.
make a living
- to earn enough money to live
The man works hard to make a living and support his family.
make ends meet
- to have enough money to pay one`s bills
I have been having trouble making ends meet because the rent for my apartment is very high.
make good money
- to earn a large amount of money
My friend makes good money at his new job.
make/spend/lose money hand over fist
- to make/spend/lose money fast and in large amounts
My cousin has been making money hand over fist with her business.
money burns a hole in (someone's) pocket
- someone spends money very quickly, someone is stimulated to spend money quickly
The money was burning a hole in my pocket so I went downtown to spend it.
money doesn't grow on trees
- money is valuable and you should not waste it
Money doesn't grow on trees and it is necessary to work hard and manage it well.
money is no object
- it does not matter how much something costs
Money is no object and I plan to stay in the best hotels during my holiday.
(one's) money is on (someone)
- you think that someone will win a competition/sports event etc.
My money is on the young horse that is racing for the first time today.
money is the root of all evil
- money causes most problems/wrongdoings in life
Many people believe that money is the root of all evil and that it causes people many problems.
money talks
- money gives one the power to get or do what he or she wants
Money talks and when I go to a restaurant with my rich uncle we always get a very good table.
nest egg
- the money that someone has saved up
I made a nest egg when I was working and I am now able to go to school.
nickel and dime (someone)
- to charge many small amounts of money (which eventually equal a large amount of money)
The small repairs on my car are beginning to nickel and dime me.
not for love nor money
- not for anything (no matter what the amount/price)
I will not meet with that woman for love nor money.
on a dime
- in a very small space
I had to turn my car on a dime when I entered the parking lot.
on a shoestring
- with little money to spend, on a very low budget
My cousin started his business on a shoestring but now it is very successful.
on credit
- to buy something using credit
I bought the new stereo on credit.
on sale
- for sale at a discounted price
The DVD's were on sale when I bought them.
on the house
- paid for by the owner of a business
We went to the restaurant and all of the drinks were on the house.
on the money
- exactly the right place/time/amount of something, exactly the right idea
Our supervisor's estimate of next year's budget is right on the money.
on the take
- to be accepting bribes
The agent at the border crossing seems to be on the take.
out-of-pocket expenses
- the actual amount of money that someone spends for something
My out-of-pocket expenses for the business trip were very low.
pad the bill
- to add false expenses to a bill
The plumber who was fixing our plumbing system was padding the bill so we got a new plumber.
pass the buck
- to make another person decide something, to put the responsibility or blame on someone else
Our supervisor always passes the buck and he will never take responsibility for what he does.
pass the hat
- to collect money for something (sometimes by passing a hat around to put the money into)
We passed the hat to collect some money for the party.
pay a king's ransom (for something)
- to pay a great deal for something
I had to pay a king's ransom for a ticket to the final basketball game.
pay an arm and a leg for (something)
- to pay a high price for something
I paid an arm and a leg for my car but I am not very happy with it.
pay as you go
- to pay for things as they occur (rather than on credit)
I will have to pay as I go if I go to graduate school next year.
pay in advance
- to pay for something before you get/use it
I must pay in advance for the bus company to deliver my boxes.
pay off (someone)
- to pay someone a bribe for something
The owner of the store had to pay off the gang who were threatening him.
pay off (something)
- to pay the final payment for something
I paid off my student loan after one year of work.
pay one's own way
- to pay the costs for something yourself
The young girl paid her own way through college.
pay the piper
- to face the results of one's actions, to receive punishment for something
I was forced to pay the piper when I realized that I had been late with my university essay.
pay through the nose
- to pay a very high price, to pay too much
I paid through the nose when I had to buy gasoline in the small town.
pay up
- to pay now
I had to pay up my parking tickets or I would lose my driving license.
payoff
- a bribe
The mayor received a payoff and was forced to resign from his position.
pennies from heaven
- money that you do not expect to get
The money that I received from the government was like pennies from heaven and I was very happy.
penny for one`s thoughts
- a request to tell someone what he or she is thinking about
"I will give you a penny for your thoughts," I said to my friend who was looking out of the window.
a penny saved is a penny earned
- saving money by not spending it is the same as getting money from working
A penny saved is a penny earned and it is better to be thrifty sometimes than to only work more hours.
penny-wise and pound foolish
- to be careful or thrifty in small expenditures but careless or wasteful in large ones
My friend is penny-wise and pound foolish and she economizes on small things but wastes all of her money on big things.
pick up the tab/check
- to pay the bill for something
I picked up the tab for my sister and her three children at the restaurant.
piggy bank
- a small bank/container for saving money that is sometimes in the shape of a pig
The small boy saved much money in his piggy bank.
pinch pennies
- to be careful with money, to be thrifty
My grandmother always pinches pennies and never spends her money foolishly.
play the market
- to invest in the stock market
My father likes to play the market and he sometimes makes a lot of money.
pony up
- to pay
I had to pony up a lot of money to get my car repaired.
pour money down the drain
- to waste money
The man is pouring money down the drain by always repairing his old car.
put in one`s two cents (worth)
- to add one's comments or opinion to a discussion
I stood up in the meeting and put in my two cents worth before I was asked to sit down.
put one's money where one's mouth is
- to stop talking about something and do it, to stop talking and make a bet on something
I was forced to put my money where my mouth is and go to Europe or stop talking about it.
put the bite on (someone)
- to try to get money from someone
The boy often puts the bite on his father before the weekend.
quick buck
- some money earned quickly and easily
The small company is only interested in making a quick buck and is not interested in product quality.
quote a price
- to say in advance how much something will cost
I asked the salesman to quote a price for the new product.
rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
I decided to take a rain check and will go to the restaurant with my friend another time.
raise/up the ante
- to increase your demands or the amount that you spend for something (the ante is the amount of money each player puts on the table before starting a game of cards/poker)
The union raised the ante with the company when they said that they were going to go on strike.
rake in the money
- to make a lot of money
We have been raking in the money at our restaurant since it opened.
rake off (some money)
- to steal a portion of a payment/money
The cashiers were raking off some of the money from the store.
red cent
- a small sum of money
I would not give a red cent for my neighbor's car.
rolling in money
- to have lots of money
The man is rolling in money and he always has much money to spend.
salt away (money)
- to save money
My uncle salted away thousands of dollars before he died.
save up (for something)
- to save money in order to buy something
I am saving up for a new television set.
scrape (something) together
- to gather small amounts of money (usually with some difficulty) for something
We scraped together some money and bought a present for my mother.
scrimp and save
- to spend little money in order to save for something
The woman has been scrimping and saving to buy a new car.
see the color of (someone's) money
- to make sure that someone has enough money for something
I will not give the man the product until I see the color of his money.
set (someone) back
- to cost a certain amount of money
My friend asked me how much my new coat had set me back.
shake (someone) down
- to blackmail or extract money from someone
The gang tried to shake down the owner of the small store.
shell out (money)
- to pay money for something
My father shelled out a lot of money to get his house painted.
sitting on a goldmine
- to own something very valuable (and often not realize this)
My sister is sitting on a goldmine with her collection of antiques.
smart money is on (something)
- people who know about money or business think that something is a good idea
The smart money is on the government to introduce the new law this week.
sock away (some money)
- to save or store some money
I am trying to sock away some money for my holiday.
splurge on (something)
- to spend more money than one might ordinarily spend
We decided to splurge and go to a nice restaurant for dinner.
square accounts with (someone)
- to settle one's financial accounts with someone
I went to the small store to square accounts with the owner.
squirrel away (some money)
- to save or keep some money
I was able to squirrel away much money from my previous job.
stone broke
- to have no money, to be penniless
My friend is stone broke and will not be able to come to the movie with us.
strapped for cash
- to have little or no money available
I am strapped for cash at the moment so I will not be able to go with you on a holiday.
strike gold
- to find or do something that makes you rich
The company was able to strike gold with their new product.
strike it rich
- to suddenly become rich or successful
My grandfather struck it rich when he was young but when he died he had no money.
take a beating
- to lose much money
My friend took a beating on the stock market and has now stopped buying stocks.
take the money and run
- to accept what is offered to you before the offer is gone
I plan to take the money and run as I do not believe that I will get any more money for the settlement of my car accident.
take up a collection
- to collect money for something
We plan to take up a collection for the wife of the dead manager.
throw good money after bad
- to waste additional money after already wasting money on something
I do not want to throw good money after bad so I will not pay any more money to fix my car.
throw money around
- to spend a lot of money without worrying if you are wasting it
The government is throwing much money around as they prepare for the large exhibition.
throw money at (something)
- to spend a lot of money for a project or something without thinking about how the money should be spent
The city plans to throw a lot of money at the project to fix the stadium roof.
tidy sum of money
- a rather large amount of money
I was able to get a tidy sum of money from the sale of my business.
tighten one`s belt
- to live on less money than usual
We decided to tighten our belt and try to save up some money for a holiday.
tightfisted/closefisted (with money)
- to be very stingy with money
My uncle is very tightfisted with money and does not want to spend any at all.
time is money
- time is valuable so do not waste it
Time is money and I do not want to waste time talking to our supervisor because she always wants to argue with me.
turn on a dime
- to turn in a very tight turn, to change directions/circumstances in a short time
The small car is very flexible and is able to turn on a dime.
two bits
- twenty-five cents, a quarter of a dollar
The newspaper cost only two bits a copy.
two cents (worth)
- one's comments or opinion
I gave my two cents worth when my supervisor asked me for my opinion.
(not) worth a cent/dime/a red cent/a plugged nickel/two cents
- to be not worth anything, to be not of any value
The antique desk is not worth a dime although everyone thinks it is very valuable.
worth its weight in gold
- to be very valuable
The new secretary is very smart and she is worth her weight in gold.
worth one`s salt
- to be worth what one is paid
Our secretary is worth her salt and is a great asset to our company.

Food idioms

Food

acquire a taste for (something)
- to develop a liking for some kind of food or drink or something
My friend has recently acquired a taste for classical music.
apple of (someone`s) eye
- someone or something that one likes a lot
The little girl is the apple of her grandfather`s eye.
as black as a skillet
- very black
The bottom of the little boy's feet were as black as a skillet.
as busy as popcorn on a skillet
- very active
The children were as busy as popcorn on a skillet when the teacher entered the classroom.
as cool as a cucumber
- to be calm, to be not nervous or anxious
The man is as cool as a cucumber and never worries about anything.
as easy as apple pie
- very easy
The test that I wrote yesterday was as easy as apple pie.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy
It was as easy as duck soup to find the book that I wanted in the library.
as flat as a pancake
- very flat
The child's toy was as flat as a pancake after the car drove over it.
as hungry as a bear
- very hungry
I was as hungry as a bear when I returned home from work yesterday.
as nutty as a fruitcake
- silly, crazy
The man in the supermarket was as nutty as a fruitcake.
as red as a cherry
- bright red
My new sweater is as red as a cherry.
as slow as molasses in January
- very slow
The little boy is as slow as molasses in January and he never gets his work finished on time.
as sour as vinegar
- sour and disagreeable
The old man next door is as sour as vinegar.
as sweet as honey/sugar
- very sweet
The retired librarian is as sweet as honey and everybody loves her.
as thick as pea soup
- very thick (can be used with fog as well as with liquids)
The fog was as thick as pea soup when we walked along the beach.
as warm as toast
- very warm and cozy
Our house was as warm as toast when we went in from the rain.
at one sitting
- at one time, during one period
We ate most of the cake at one sitting.
back to the salt mines
- to go back to work (this is a humorous expression to express going back to unpleasant work)
"Lunch is over so let`s go back to the salt mines for the afternoon."
bad/rotten apple
- a bad person
The boy is a bad apple and he is always in some kind of trouble.
bad egg
- a bad person, a bum
My neighbor is a bad egg and you should avoid him if you can.
bear fruit
- to yield or give results
The woman's hard work at her business finally began to bear fruit when she started to make money.
best bib and tucker
- one's best clothes
I put on my best bib and tucker for the wedding reception.
big cheese
- an important person, a leader
My uncle is a big cheese in his company so you should be very nice to him.
big enchilada
- the biggest and most important thing or person
The new accounting manager is the big enchilada in our company.
binge and purge
- to overeat and then to vomit
The young woman had eating problems and she would often binge and purge her food.
bite off more than one can chew
- to try to do or eat more than you can manage
I bit off more than I could chew when I began to work at the store in the evening.
bite the hand that feeds one
- to harm someone who does good things for you
I do not want to make my company angry because I do not want to bite the hand that feeds me.
bitter pill to swallow
- something unpleasant that one must accept
It was a bitter pill to swallow when I learned that I would not get the job that I thought I would.
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
- to be born to a wealthy family with many advantages
The boy was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he never has to work very hard.
Bottoms up!
- everybody should drink now (this expression is used at the end of a drinking toast)
"Bottoms up," our host said at the beginning of the dinner.
bread and butter
- one's income/job to buy the basic needs of life like food/shelter/clothing
The voters are worried about bread-and-butter issues like jobs and taxes.
bread and water
- the most basic meal that is possible (just as you would get in prison)
The prisoners were fed bread and water for several days last winter.
bring home the bacon
- to earn your family`s living
Recently, I have been working very hard to bring home the bacon. I have no time to do anything else.
burn (something) to a crisp
- to burn something very badly
I burned the eggs to a crisp when I left the stove on while I was talking on the telephone.
butter (someone) up
- to flatter someone in order to get his or her favor or friendship
The man spends much time trying to butter up his boss so that he will not have to work so hard.
can't stomach (someone or something)
- to dislike or hate someone or something
I can't stomach the idea of meeting my old girlfriend.
carrot and stick
- the reward for someone if they do what you want or the punishment if they do not do what you want
The government took a carrot-and-stick approach to remove the people who were protesting against the construction of the dam.
cheese (someone) off
- to annoy/irritate/anger someone
I cheesed off my neighbor when I borrowed his ladder without telling him.
cheesed off
- to be bored/depressed/annoyed
I was cheesed off when I heard that I would not be able to go away for the weekend.
chew the fat with (someone)
- to chat with someone
We stayed up very late last night chewing the fat about our university days.
chips and dip
- potato chips and something to dip them into before eating them (potato chips are called crisps in the United Kingdom)
We bought some chips and dip for the party.
clear the table
- to remove the dishes and other eating utensils from a table after eating
We had to clear the table before we could eat our dessert.
coffee break
- a break from work to rest and drink coffee/tea
We usually have a coffee break every morning at 10 o`clock.
Come and get it!
- Dinner is ready. Come and eat.
"Come and get it," my mother called after she made dinner.
compare apples and oranges
- to compare two things that are not similar and should not be compared
It was like comparing apples and oranges when we compared our new boss to our old one.
cook (someone's) goose
- to damage or ruin someone
I think that I cooked my goose when I made a mistake at work today.
cook (something) to perfection
- to cook something perfectly
The chef always cooks the food to perfection at the small restaurant.
cook (something) up
- to cook something, to make some kind of plan
I do not know what my girlfriend is cooking up for the weekend but we will probably do something interesting.
couch potato
- someone who spends a lot of time on a couch watching television
My cousin is a couch potato and he never wants to leave his house.
cream of the crop
- the best of a group, the top choice
Our company is a very good place to work and is always able to hire the cream of the crop of university graduates.
a cream puff
- a person who is easily influenced or beaten
The boy is a cream puff and is always a victim of other people's insults.
cry over spilled/spilt milk
- to cry or complain about something that has already happened
You should not cry over spilled milk. The past is past and you cannot do anything to change it.
(not one's) cup of tea
- something that one does not enjoy or do well (usually used in the negative)
Going to art galleries is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home this evening.
cut the mustard
- to succeed, to do adequately what needs to be done
The young man was not able to cut the mustard and he had to leave the army after only one year.
dine out
- to eat a meal at a restaurant
I love to dine out at nice restaurants.
done to a T/turn
- to be cooked just right (just as one would cook a steak perfectly)
The steaks were done to a T when my friend cooked them on the barbecue.
down the hatch
- something is swallowed
My drink was down the hatch before I could order another one.
drop (someone/something) like a hot potato
- to suddenly stop being involved with someone or with some kind of a problem
The advertisers dropped the basketball star like a hot potato when he became involved in a scandal.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
"It was like duck soup. I was able to finish my school project last night."
eat and run
- to eat a meal and then quickly leave
I had to eat and run in order to be on time for my evening class.
eat crow
- to admit that one is mistaken or defeated, to take back a mistaken statement
I was forced to eat crow and apologize for the things that I had said about my co-worker.
eat dirt
- to act humble, to accept another person's insults or bad treatment
We made the boy eat dirt after he accused us of lying.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat expensive and high quality food
My uncle has been eating high on the hog since he got his new job.
eat humble pie
- to be humbled, to admit one`s error and apologize
Our boss was forced to eat humble pie after he made the wrong budget estimate for next year.
eat like a bird
- to eat only a small amount of food
The girl eats like a bird and is very slim.
eat like a horse
- to eat a large amount of food
I usually eat like a horse after I work hard all day.
eat one`s cake and have it too
- to use or spend something and still keep it, to have something both ways
The man refuses to give up anything and he always wants to eat his cake and have it too.
eat one's heart out
- to be envious of someone or something
I ate my heart out when I saw my friend and his new bicycle.
eat one`s words
- to take back something that one has said, to admit that something is not true
I told my boss that I would soon quit my job but later I had to eat my words and tell him that I wanted to stay.
eat out
- to eat a meal at a restaurant
My aunt and uncle eat out often at very nice restaurants.
eat out of (someone's) hands
- to do what someone else wants
The young secretary is always eating out of her bosses hands.
eat (someone) for breakfast
- to defeat someone easily
The young wrestler can eat the older wrestler for breakfast.
eat (someone) out of house and home
- to eat a lot of food in someone's house
The young boy is eating his parents out of house and home.
eat (something) up
- to enjoy/absorb/appreciate something
The students were eating up the comments by their professor.
egg (someone) on
- to encourage someone to do something (often something bad/wrong/dangerous)
The boys egged their friend on to jump into the water.
either feast or famine
- either too much or not enough of something
Either I have too much time or too little time. It is either feast or famine..
everything from soup to nuts
- almost everything that one can think of
We brought everything from soup to nuts for our weekend holiday.
eyes are bigger than one's stomach
- the amount of food that one takes is greater than what one could possibly eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach and I took too much food at the buffet dinner.
fat is in the fire
- a situation is bad or a person has serious problems
The fat is in the fire now that the deadline is fast approaching for the court case.
feed one's face
- to eat
I stopped at a small restaurant after the game to feed my face.
fine kettle of fish
- a mess, an unsatisfactory situation
It was a fine kettle of fish that I was in when I lost the keys to my apartment.
food for thought
- something to think about
The advice from the bank manager was food for thought when I made my financial plan.
for peanuts
- for very little money, for almost nothing
I was able to buy a used computer for peanuts.
forbidden fruit
- something that one finds attractive partly because it is illegal/immoral/prohibited
Entering the old building was forbidden fruit for the young boys.
fruits of one's labor
- the results of one's work
My father is retired now and he is finally enjoying the fruits of his labor.
full of beans
- to feel energetic, to be in high spirits
My aunt is full of beans tonight and she does not want to stop talking.
get oneself into a stew over (someone or something)
- to be worried or upset about someone or something
I try hard not to get myself into a stew over some of the rude remarks of my supervisor.
go bananas
- to become highly excited, to behave in a crazy way
The boy's girlfriend went bananas when he forgot to buy her a birthday present.
go/turn beet-red
- to become red in the face because you are embarrassed
The girl turned beet-red when her friend asked her about her boyfriend.
go on a binge
- to eat/do too much of something
My friend went on a binge and ate too much chocolate recently.
good egg
- a good person
The man is a good egg and everybody likes him a lot.
(one's) goose is cooked
- one has been found out and is now in trouble
I told a lie to my company and now my goose is cooked and I am in much trouble.
grab a bite to eat
- to get/have something to eat (usually quickly)
I will grab a bite to eat after the game today.
gravy train
- a job or some work that pays more than it is worth
For many years my father's job was a gravy train but now the company has become very strict about paying extra money.
greatest thing since sliced bread
- the greatest thing that there has ever been
My mother believes that the microwave oven is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
grist for the mill
- something that can be used to bring advantage or profit
The information that we got on the Internet was grist for the mill of our company's operations.
half a loaf is better than none
- a proverb that says that having part of something is better than having nothing at all
Half a loaf is better than none and I would rather work part-time than have no job at all.
half-baked
- to be not thought about or studied carefully
Our friend has a half-baked idea about starting a new business but most of us think that it will fail.
hand (something) to (someone) on a silver platter
- to give a person something that has not been earned
The father handed everything to the boy on a silver platter and now he is very spoiled and selfish.
hard nut to crack
- a difficult person or thing to deal with
My friend is a very serious person and she is a very hard nut to crack.
have a lot on one's plate
- to have a lot of things to do or deal with
I have a lot on my plate this week and I am very, very busy.
have a pick-me-up
- to eat or drink something stimulating
I wanted to have a pick-me-up so I stopped at a small shop for a coffee.
have a sweet tooth
- to have a desire to eat sweet foods
I have a sweet tooth and I love chocolate bars.
have a taste for (something)
- to have a desire for a food/drink/experience
The opera singer has always had a taste for classical music.
have bigger fish to fry
- to have other more important things to do
I have bigger fish to fry and I do not want to spend every evening doing extra work for my company.
have egg on one`s face
- to be embarrassed (because of an obvious error)
The man has egg on his face now that he has admitted that he was wrong about his boss.
have one's cake and eat it too
- to use or spend something and still keep it, to have something both ways
I wanted to have my cake and eat it too when I wanted more holidays and more responsibility at work.
have one's finger in the pie
- to be involved in something
The man has his finger in the pie of everything at his workplace.
have one's finger in too many pies
- to be involved in too many things so that you cannot do any of them well
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies to really do her job well.
Here's mud in your eye!
- Drink up! (a drinking toast)
"Here's mud in your eye," I said as we drank a toast to my new job.
hit the sauce
- to drink alcohol (usually regularly)
I think that the woman began to hit the sauce after her husband lost his job.
hot potato
- a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to settle
The issue of building the nuclear power plant is a hot potato for the local town council.
icing on the cake
- something that makes a good situation or activity even better
I was able to find a good job and the fact that I can work where I want is the icing on the cake.
in a nutshell
- briefly, in a few words
We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell about the plans for our company.
in a pickle
- to be in trouble, to be in a mess
The boy was in a pickle when he lost the keys to the school cupboard.
in a stew about/over (someone or something)
- to be worried or upset about someone or something
My father is in a stew over the fact that his order of car parts has not arrived.
in one's salad days
- to be in one's youth
My aunt was a beautiful woman in her salad days.
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in a bad situation
The woman is in the soup now. She told her boss that she was sick but he saw her downtown shopping.
kill the fatted calf
- to prepare an elaborate banquet in honor of someone
We killed the fatted calf for my cousin when she returned from her trip abroad.
know which side one's bread is buttered
- to know what is most advantageous for you
My aunt knows which side her bread is buttered when she visits her sister.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance of something
The singer laid an egg during her performance last evening.
life is a bowl of cherries
- only good things happen in life
Ever since my father retired from his job he has believed that life is a bowl of cherries.
like taking candy from a baby
- something is very easy to do
I asked the department store to refund the money for my goods and they quickly agreed. It was like taking candy from a baby.
like two peas in a pod
- to be very close or intimate with someone
The sisters are like two peas in a pod and they do everything together.
live high off/on the hog
- to live well and eat good food
The woman is able to live high on the hog when she goes away on a business trip.
live off the fat of the land
- to grow one's own food, to live on the resources of the land
The family is able to live off the fat of the land on their small farm.
make a meal of (something)
- to eat enough/much of one kind of food for one meal
We made a meal of the fish that we caught in the lake.
make mincemeat/hamburger out of (someone or something)
- to beat up or destroy someone or something
The older boxer made mincemeat out of the young boxer.
make one`s mouth water
- to make someone hungry, to make someone want to eat or drink something very much
The restaurant is wonderful and when I see the menu it makes my mouth water.
make (someone) eat crow
- to cause someone to admit an error or retract a statement
We made our boss eat crow when we discovered the mistake that he made with our work schedule.
meal ticket
- a thing or person that someone uses to get the money that they need to live
The woman's nursing degree is her meal ticket to a flexible and good life.
meat and potatoes
- basic simple and good food, simple tastes
The man is a meat-and-potatoes person who enjoys the simple pleasures of life.
melt in one's mouth
- to taste very good
The pastry melted in my mouth.
milk of human kindness
- the natural kindness and sympathy that is shown to others
The woman at the community center is full of the milk of human kindness.
milk (someone) for (something)
- to pressure someone into giving information or money
The man was trying to milk the elderly lady for much of her money.
neither fish nor fowl
- not in any recognizable category
The movie was neither fish nor fowl and I did not know what category to put it into.
not for all the tea in China
- not for anything
I will not for all the tea in China lend my friend any more money.
not know beans about (someone or something)
- to know nothing about someone or something
I do not know beans about repairing a car.
not worth a hill of beans
- worthless
The man is a liar and what he says is not worth a hill of beans.
on a diet
- to be trying to lose weight by eating less food
I have been on a diet for two months now.
one man's meat is another man's poison
- something that one person likes may be disliked by someone else
One man's meat is another man's poison and while my friend hates coffee, I love it.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
- to go from something bad to something worse
The woman jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she quit her job. Now her problems are much worse.
out to lunch
- to be crazy, to be uninformed
The woman is out to lunch and you should never believe what she tells you.
out to lunch
- to be eating lunch away from one's work
The bank manager was out to lunch when I went to see him at the bank.
packed in like sardines
- to be packed in very tightly
The commuters were packed in like sardines in the subway car.
pie in the sky
- an idea or plan that you think will never happen
My cousin's plans are usually pie in the sky and will never happen.
piece of cake
- a task that is easily accomplished
The small job was a piece of cake. I had everything done before lunch this morning.
polish the apple
- to flatter someone
Nobody likes the girl because she is always trying to polish the apple with her teacher.
put all one's eggs in one basket
- to risk everything at once
I do not want to put all my eggs in one basket and only invest money in real estate.
put on the feed bag
- to eat a meal (like a horse would)
We put on the feed bag immediately after we got home.
put weight on
- to gain weight
The basketball player is putting weight on now.
rotten to the core
- to be completely worthless (like a rotten apple)
The political organization was rotten to the core and everybody knew that they must change.
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to try to make someone's unhappiness or misfortune worse
I did not mention the car accident to my friend because I did not want to rub salt in his wound.
salt of the earth
- good/basic/honest/ordinary people
Our new neighbors are the salt of the earth. They are good, basic, honest people.
salt (something) away
- to save money or some other item
I am salting away much money from my new job.
save (someone's) bacon
- something helps you from failing or having trouble
My friend at work saved my bacon when he came to help me with the job that I could not do.
sell like hotcakes
- to sell quickly or easily
The new CD has only been released for one week but already it is selling like hotcakes.
sink one's teeth into (something)
- to take a bite of some kind of food, to get really involved in something
I am trying hard to sink my teeth into the project at work.
slice of the cake/pie
- a share of something
The government wants a slice of the cake of the money from the new casinos.
small potatoes
- something that is not very big or important compared with other things or people
The amount of money for the stadium is small potatoes compared to the total cost of the Olympics.
so clean you can eat off the floor
- very clean
My mother's kitchen is so clean you can eat off the floor.
soup up (something)
- to make something faster or more powerful by changing or adding something (this expression is often used for a car)
My neighbor decided to soup up the car that he recently bought.
spill the beans
- to tell a secret to someone who is not supposed to know about it
"Please do not spill the beans about my plans to quit work and return to school next year."
spoon-feed (someone)
- to help or care for someone too much when you are trying to teach him or her something
We had to spoon-feed the new employee when we were teaching him about the new computer system.
square meal
- a good filling meal
I was very busy at work last week and I did not have time for a square meal until Saturday.
stew in one`s own juice
- to suffer from something that you yourself have caused to happen
The man is the one who caused the problem for himself and he is now being forced to stew in his own juice.
stick to one's ribs
- to last a long time and to fill one up (used for food)
The meal that my grandmother made stuck to my ribs.
take (something) with a grain of salt
- to accept or believe something with much doubt, to not give much credit or importance to something that was said
"You should take everything that the supervisor says with a grain of salt because he likes to exaggerate things."
take the cake
- to be the best or worst of something
The behavior of the young girl takes the cake. It is terrible.
teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
- to try to tell someone who has more knowledge than you how to do something
I tried to teach my friend something about computers but he is a computer expert. It was like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.
teething problems
- difficulties/problems that happen in the early stages of a project/activity
The new project which we were trying to start had many teething problems.
that's the way the cookie crumbles
- that's life, those things happen
That's the way the cookie crumbles, I thought when I learned that I would not get the new job.
there is no such thing as a free lunch
- you cannot get something without working for it or paying for it
There is no such thing as a free lunch and you must work hard if you want to get something in life.
too many cooks spoil the broth/stew
- too many people trying to do something will cause problems
Too many cooks spoil the broth and we decided to have less people work on the project because having too many people was making it difficult to do anything.
top banana
- the person who is the boss or the top person in a group or organization
The famous actor in the movie was the top banana in the story.
toss a salad
- to mix a salad with the dressing
I quickly tossed a salad and we ate dinner.
tub of lard
- a fat person
The young boys always call the chubby boy a tub of lard.
tuck into (something)
- to eat something with energy and enjoyment
We tucked into our dinner as soon as we sat down at the table.
upset the applecart
- to ruin a plan or event by surprise or accident
Everything was going well at the company picnic until our boss arrived and upset the applecart.
variety is the spice of life
- differences and changes make life interesting
Variety is the spice of life and I enjoy doing different things in my free time.
walk on eggs
- to be very cautious
I must walk on eggs when I ask my friend to do something for me.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
"What's good for the goose is good for the gander and you should not ask your child to take the cough medicine if you will not take it yourself."
whet (someone's) appetite
- to cause someone to be interested in something and want to learn more about it
The introduction to playing a musical instrument helped to whet my appetite to learn more about music.
whole enchilada
- everything, all of something
I decided to buy the whole enchilada when I looked at the set of dishes and kitchen goods.
wine and dine (someone)
- to treat someone to an expensive meal, to entertain someone in a lavish manner
My uncle often has to wine and dine his important business clients.
worth one`s salt
- to be a good worker, to be worth what one is paid
The man has only been working here for a month but quickly he is proving that he is worth his salt.
you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs
- you cannot do something without causing some problems or having some effects
"You can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs and if you want to change the work schedules, then you are going to cause problems."