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    Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native
    Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native
    Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native
    Ebook788 pages5 hours

    Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native

    By Boye Lafayette De Mente

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    About this ebook

    Increase your fluency of English through the mastery of common English idioms and expressions.

    All Native English-speakers use a large number of proverbs and colloquial expressions in their daily conversations. These common sayings, which evolved over the centuries, are like "codes" that reveal the cultural values and attitudes of the speakers.

    To obtain complete fluency in the English language it is necessary to be familiar with these expressions and know how and when to use them.

    With a user-friendly format, The Cheater's Guide to Speaking English like a Native is a shortcut to achieving that goal.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTuttle Publishing
    Release dateDec 27, 2011
    ISBN9781462903122
    Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native

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      Book preview

      Cheater's Guide to Speaking English Like a Native - Boye Lafayette De Mente

      A bird in the hand

      This is an old saying that comes from the sport of bird hunting. When one bird is shot, the others fly away. It is another way of saying that it is better to achieve one goal than try to do too much and gain nothing.

      a. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

      b. Let's go for a bird in the hand and forget the rest.

      c. He was never satisfied with a bird in the hand, and went on to become very successful.

      A little bird told me

      This is a phrase used to conceal the identity of someone who has told you something that was previously confidential or secret.

      a. A little bird told me, and you might as well stop asking because I'm not going to tell you who the little bird was!

      b. I heard it from a little bird.

      c. Your little bird is nothing but a tattle tale.

      A miss is as good as a mile

      This expression originally referred to being shot at and the bullet just barely missing you. It is now used in reference to a variety of negative things that could have happened but didn't.

      a. When I left just before the earthquake I really appreciated that a miss is as good as a mile.

      b. When his wife showed up just seconds after his girlfriend left he smiled and said to himself that a miss is as good as a mile!

      c. When a speeding car almost hits you, a miss is not as good as a mile!

      A needle in a haystack

      Something or somebody that is difficult to find.

      a. Trying to find him in that crowd would be like searching for a needle in a haystack!

      b. Finding something in this store is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

      c. Finding your office was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

      A nightcap

      A nightcap is a euphemism for an alcoholic drink taken just before the evening ends. It is often used in movies when a man or woman invites someone to come into their home or apartment after an evening out on the town, giving it strong sexual overtones. In essence, it means to cap off an evening with a final drink.

      a. It's still early! How about a nightcap?

      b. You're interested in more than just a nightcap, aren't you!

      c. Your problem is that you have one nightcap after another!

      Ace in the hole

      An advantage in a game or business that is kept in reserve, or secret until it is needed to ensure victory. The saying comes from the card game of poker.

      a. That guy always has an ace in the hole!

      b. He always comes up with an ace in the hole.

      c. What I need now is an ace in the hole.

      Across the board

      This expression derives from a reference to the entire width of a board, and may mean everything and everybody.

      a. The pay raise was across the board. Everybody got a hike in pay.

      b. He made an across-the-board accusation, blaming everybody on the team.

      c. His criticism was across the board. He left nobody out.

      Act like a spring chicken

      Acting young, energetic; often said of older men and women who begin acting like they are young again.

      a. Stop trying to act like a spring chicken! You're making a fool of yourself! b You're a grandmother acting like a spring chicken! c. That old man is still acting like a spring chicken.

      Acting fishy

      Fish, especially small fish, habitually dart here and there, making it difficult to predict which way they are going to go next. This led to acting fishy being applied to people who behave in a suspicious manner.

      a. The guy in front of the bank was acting fishy, so someone called the police.

      b. She said she didn't like you because you looked fishy.

      c. My wife can spot fishy behavior a mile away!

      Actions speak louder than words

      Generally, what you do is far more important, and far more influential, than what you say.

      a. Never mind what he says. Wait until you see what he does. Actions speaker louder than words.

      b. Who ever said actions speak louder than words must have been thinking about you!

      c. When it comes to politics, actions definitely speak louder than words!

      After one's own heart

      This expression is used to describe someone with whom you agree on many or most things. You might say your hearts beat in harmony.

      a. My new boss loves to go fishing every weekend. He is a man after my own heart.

      b. I was very pleased to find out that the boss was a man after my own heart.

      c. It is always a special pleasure to spend time with friends who are after your own heart.

      Airing dirty laundry

      When couples and others become estranged and begin revealing unsavory and damaging facts about each other it is commonly said that they are airing their dirty laundry.

      a. Let's not air our dirty laundry!

      b. After that couple broke up they aired all of their dirty laundry.

      c. All she does is air her dirty laundry!

      All rolled into one

      All rolled into one refers to multiple duties, obligations or efforts being pursued at the same time, often by just one person.

      a. His brother is president and vice-president all rolled into one.

      b. When I realized that I had been given several jobs all rolled into one I didn't know whether to say thanks or no thank you.

      c. Here are our problems, all rolled into one.

      All shook up

      This expression refers to being emotionally upset, usually in a negative sense.

      a. She got all shook up when she heard the news.

      b. Don't get all shook up about it!

      c. You look all shook up. What happened?

      All wrapped up in himself

      People who are all wrapped up in themselves are egocentric and do not think about the feelings or needs of others.

      a. You shouldn't date that guy! He's too wrapped up in himself!

      b. He's so wrapped up in himself nobody likes him.

      c. She can't stand men who are wrapped up in themselves.

      An accident waiting to happen

      Someone or something that can go seriously wrong without warning, often said of a person who is accident prone, or who is under serious emotional pressure that might cause him or her to do something violent.

      a. That new off-road vehicle is an accident waiting to happen!

      b. He's an accident waiting to happen.

      c. I knew he was an accident waiting to happen when I first met him.

      An also-ran

      Very common in the political area, an also-ran refers to someone who runs for a political office and fails, or someone in office who fails to get re-elected.

      a. Forget him! He's going to be an also-ran!

      b. After becoming an also-ran it's hard to make a comeback.

      c. It's interesting that political also-rans often become university professors.

      Another day another dollar

      During the American depression of the 1930s people were lucky to have a job. Many found work only occasionally and were paid one dollar a day, giving birth to the comment. Now, the saying refers to the relief felt after finishing another day of hard work.

      a. I had to work overtime and all I can say is another day another dollar!

      b. It was a really rough day but another day another dollar.

      c. I'm just trying to hang in because another day is another dollar.

      Ante up

      This term comes from the game of poker, and refers to the amount of money you must put into the pool before receiving cards or additional cards. It also refers to paying one's share, and includes the sense of paying up front, in advance.

      a. If you want to stay in the game you have to ante up.

      b. He had to ante up to buy into that deal.

      c. If you can't ante up you're out of the game.

      Ants in the pants

      People who get ants in their pants are very likely to go through a series of quick and convulsive actions to get rid of them.

      a. You're running around like you have ants in your pants!

      b. Can't you be still? You act like you have ants in your pants!

      c. Some kids seem to be born with ants in their pants!

      Apple of one's eye

      When buying apples it is common to select those that are the most attractive in size, color and overall appearance. This led to the expression the apple of one's eye in reference to something or someone that one is especially fond of.

      a. His youngest daughter was the apple of his eye.

      b. Because she was the apple of his eye her brothers and sisters were jealous.

      c. It was pretty obvious that the new secretary was the apple of the boss's eye.

      As American as apple pie

      Apple pie has traditionally been regarded as the quintessential American dessert because apples were common, it was easy to prepare in wood-burning stoves, and it was usually delicious. Thus, anything that was typically American came to be compared to apple pie.

      a. A famous black writer once said that violence was as American as apple pie!

      b. Baseball is as American as apple pie.

      c. Many immigrants become as American as apple pie in two or three years.

      As clean as a whistle

      This expression refers to something that disappears or is cleaned up without leaving a trace, as the sound of a whistle leaves nothing behind.

      a. The bank robber got away as clean as a whistle.

      b. She left his wallet as clean as a whistle.

      c. The house was as clean as a whistle.

      As crooked as a dog's hind leg

      The back legs of dogs are crooked, thus the saying, which refers to someone who engages in illegal behavior.

      a. That guy is as crooked as a dog's hind leg!

      b. Politicians often appear to be as crooked as a dog's hind leg.

      c. He gave the impression of being as crooked as a dog's hind leg.

      As cute as a bug's ear

      I have no idea if any bug has cute ears, but it is common to describe an unusually pretty infant or a small baby as cute as a bug's ear.

      a. The baby took after its mother, and was as cute as a bug's ear.

      b. He likes girls who are as cute as a bug's ear.

      c. That advertisement is as cute as a bug's ear.

      As dead as a door nail

      Something or somebody who is not moving, motionless, doesn't expend any energy; is dead.

      a. As soon as he opened his mouth I knew my idea was as dead as a door nail.

      b. My relationship with her is as dead as a door nail.

      c. What's wrong? You act like you're as dead as a door nail.

      As easy as falling off a log

      Something that is very easy to do; from the fact that it is very difficult to stand on a log that is floating in water—an old way of transporting logs.

      a. Don't worry about it! It's as easy as falling off a log!

      b. Anybody can do it! It's as easy as falling off a log.

      c. You said skiing was as easy as falling off a log but I broke my leg!

      As flat as a pancake

      This may be said of a tire, a balloon and a number of other things, including a woman's breasts. In the latter instance, it is not complimentary and may be considered in a very negative light.

      a. Our sales results last year were as flat as a pancake.

      b. You hurt that girl when you said she was as flat-chested as a pancake.

      c. My left rear tire was as flat as a pancake.

      As good as

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